HOBOKEN, N.J. (January 3, 2010) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to visiting Nazareth College, 71-69, on Sunday evening at the Canavan Arena in Hoboken, N.J. Senior guard Corey McAdam (Fairport, N.Y.) found sophomore center Greg Lothridge (East Syracuse, N.Y.) under the basket for a layup with one second remaining for the game-winner as the Golden Flyers improve to 4-0 in the Empire 8 and 7-3 overall. The Ducks, who fall to 2-2 in the conference and 7-3 overall, were led by senior forward Matt Higgins who had 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
With the score tied at eight apiece 4:48 into the action, the Ducks used an 8-2 to run to a gain six-point advantage with 12:12 to play in the first as freshman guard Sheldon Jones and sophomore guard Mike Cutri each had three points in the spurt.
The Ducks were able to push their lead to 10 (28-18) after a three-pointer from senior guard George Greco with 6:38 play half, but the Golden Flyers were able to outscore the Ducks 16-8 over the next 6:12 to cut the Stevens lead to two with 26 seconds remaining in the first. On the final possession of the half, Higgins was able to able to score on a put back to give the Ducks a 38-34 lead at the break. As a team, Stevens shot 62.5 percent from the floor and 50 percent from long range in the first.
After a layup from sophomore forward Simon Smith pushed the Duck lead back to six, five seconds into the second, the two teams went back and forth over the next 5:30 and Stevens held a 47-42 lead with 14:26 to play. Higgins made it 50-42 Ducks after a three-point play but sophomore guard Jason Corletta (Pittsford, N.Y.) answered with a three of his own on the ensuing possession to stop any momentum gained by Stevens.
With 8:51 left, Smith gave the Ducks another eight-point advantage but the Golden Flyers once again answered, this time it was McAdam getting into the lane, drawing a foul and converting a pair of free throws.
Stevens pushed its lead back to eight again and again but Nazareth refused to go away, and eventually used an 8-1 run over 2:24 to get within one at 64-63 with 3:44 remaining.
On the ensuing Stevens possession, Cutri knocked down a pair at the line but Naz cut the lead to one again when freshman Tyshun Stephens (Newark, N.Y.) hit a pair of foul shots on the next possession. After a Stevens turnover at the other end, McAdam got to the line and gave Nazareth the lead (67-66), its first since the 18:35 mark of the first half, with 2:04 to go.
The Ducks turned it over on their next possession but got a huge stop on defense with 55 seconds left after a Higgins block and senior forward Ian Masone defensive rebound. Stevens got up the floor in a hurry and Higgins converted his second three-point play of the game to put the Ducks on top 69-67 with 50 seconds to go.
McAdam tied the game with 30 ticks remaining, carving out some space in the lane and putting in a leaner from 13 feet out, and Nazareth forced a questionable back court call on the Ducks with six seconds showing on the clock to get the ball back.
On the final possession, McAdam was able to penetrate down the right side before dishing to an open Lothridge underneath for the game-winner.
Stevens was led by Higgins (11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals) and 11 points from Smith and Jones. Greco finished with eight points as did Masone. Cutri finished with nine points as all 10 Ducks that played scored.
McAdam led Nazareth with 24 points and six assists, and Stephens tallied 15. Lothridge added 10 points and a team-high five rebounds.
The Ducks finished 24-for-42 from the field (57.1 percent) and 4-of-12 from long range (33.3 percent). They were 17-of-24 from the line (70.8 percent) but committed 20 turnovers. Each squad grabbed 25 rebounds. The Golden Flyers shot 50 percent for the game (23-of-46) and were 22-of-27 from the free-throw line.
Stevens will return to action on Tuesday night when it visits Utica College. The Ducks will then host Hartwick College on Sunday afternoon.
