March 1, 2010

 

Box Score

 

South Easton, MA - The #9 seeded Adelphi University men's basketball team traveled to South Easton, Massachusetts on Monday, March 1 to take on top seeded Stonehill College in the quarterfinals of the Northeast-10 playoffs. Richard Byrd made two free throws with just two seconds left on the clock to put Adelphi up one and steal a 59-58 victory. With the win Adelphi advances and improves to 21-10 overall, while Stonehill falls to 23-5.

Byrd led the way for Adelphi with 19 points and five rebounds, while David Akinyooye added 15 points and five rebounds. Casey Cosgrove also had a strong game, scoring eight points, handing out six assists and making five steals.

Adelphi opened the game on fire, ripping Stonehill on the way to a 16-5 lead just over seven minutes into the game. The Panthers maintained their lead and extended it to 12, 38-26, on an Akinyooye jumper with 2:46 to play. However, Stonehill out scored Adelphi 7-3 over the final minutes of the first period to enter the half trailing by eight, 41-33.

The Skyhawks battled back in the opening minutes of the second half, continuing their first half run by out scoring the Panthers, 10-6, to cut Adelphi's lead in half, 47-43. Adelphi continued to lead down the stretch, clinging to a seven point, 57-50 lead, with 6:59 on the clock, but Stonehill finally broke through with 3:40 left in the game, taking a 58-57 lead.

From that point on the game became a defensive struggle as neither team would hit a field goal the rest of the way. After nearly three and a half minutes of scoreless action, Byrd was fouled, earning two free throws, which he converted with just two ticks left on the clcok, to give Adelphi a 59-58 victory.

The Panthers keep their tournament championship hopes alive, traveling to Manchester, New Hampshire on Thursday, March 4 to take on #5 seeded Saint Anselm at 7:00 pm.