Pleasantville, N.Y. – The Adelphi men's basketball team fell to Pace in a defensive battle on Tuesday night, 55-53. Three Panthers were in double figures but the team struggled to score the basketball late in the game.

Series History: 

• Adelphi (16-8, 8-6 NE10) moves to 22-14 against the Setters since 2006. The last matchup between the rivals was a hard fought 56-53 Panther win at the Center for Recreation and Sport on January 13. Patrick Burke and Mason Jackson were the team's high scorers in that game scoring, 18 and 14 points respectively.

Highlights:

• One game after surpassing 1,000 career points, Jackson was the team's leading scorer with 19, shooting 7-10 from the field and 2-4 from three.
• Dayshaun Walton recorded his third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. 
• Patrick Burke scored 11 and brought down eight boards.

How It Happened:

• Much like the first contest between these two, the place was slow.
• Early on, the Setters continued to pressure Adelphi and force the Panthers to turn the ball over. 
• The solid defense resulted in a 10-point lead for Pace at the eight minute medial timeout in the first half. 
• A Zakari McQueen three ball and pair of free throws from Dayshaun Walton, cut the lead to four just two and a half minutes later. 
• Pace was held scoreless for nearly five minutes which allowed the Panthers to get the score to 18-17 courtesy of a Matthew Price three and Patrick Burke free throw. 
• The defensive struggle continued with Pace going on a 9-5 run in the final three minutes of the period to lead 27-22 at the break. The second half began with a patented Jarnel Rancy block. Adelphi then responded with buckets from Jackson, Walton and Burke to finally take the lead right before the first media timeout. 
• The two rivals continued to go back and forth, trading leading. Adelphi led 41-37 after big makes from Walton and Jackson. 
• Adelphi's lead grew to as many as eight before the eight-minute media stoppage mostly in part to staunch defense. Pace was held without a field goal for nearly seven minutes. 
• A trio of free throws from Zakari McQueen put the Cats up 11 at the six minute mark before Pace cut it back down to six on back-to-back possessions.  An offensive miscue gave the ball back to the Setters as they looked to make it a two score game.
• After an offensive rebound, Pace missed a wide open look at the rim, giving the ball back to the Panthers. 
• Out of a timeout, Adelphi could not capitalize. The next Pace possession led to a pair of free throws and a four point game. 
• Jackson, like he had all game, responded with a quick bucket to put his team back up six. 
• Pace scored and after a turnover, cut the lead all the way down to two with 1:15 to play. 
• The Setter defense stepped up again and had a chance to tie. With 21.2 seconds remaining Pace made only one of two free throws, but the ball bounced out of bounds off of Adelphi. 
• After review, the Setters came out and made a three pointer, taking a two point but giving the Panthers a chance to either tie or win the game. 
• Pace fouled Adelphi on the inbound and with neither free throw being made, the Panthers were forced to foul and put the Setters at the line. The first charity stripe rimmed out, giving Adelphi a chance but Walton's half court heave hit the back iron as the Panthers fell, 55-53.  

Up Next: 

• The Panthers will stay on the road and travel to Southern New Hampshire  on Saturday for a n important game with the current logjam in the Northeast 10 standings. Tip from Manchester  is set for 3:30 p.m.

Hear from Coach Duke:

• "It was a hard fought game. I thought the team played very hard and really guarded [Pace] well. There were too many turnovers down late in the game. Those extra possessions we gave them was the difference."