Box Score

ELMIRA, N.Y. (February 8, 2014) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team overcame a 20-point second-half deficit to earn a 60-58 Empire 8 road win at Elmira College Saturday afternoon.
 
With the win, the Ducks improve to 15-7 overall and 9-3 in the Empire 8. The loss ends a five-game winning streak for Elmira as the Soaring Eagles drop to 9-12 overall and 4-6 in the conference.
 
Stevens is now alone atop the E8 standings, one game ahead of Alfred University and Nazareth College who are both currently 7-3. Hartwick College is 8-4 and in fourth place, while St. John Fisher College is in fifth at 7-5.
 
The Ducks struggled mightily in the first half with just four made field goals and went into the locker room trailing, 35-18.
 
After going down by as much as 20 points early in the second period, Stevens began to climb its way out of a big-time hole eventually drawing even at 54-all with 3:16 to play when junior forward Patrick Sabatino (Westfield, N.J.) hit a three-pointer.
 
The two teams traded points on the next two possessions with a pair of Sabatino free throws tying the score at 56 with 1:32 left in the contest.
 
On the next Elmira possession, the Ducks forced a timeout and Sabatino then blocked a shot with less than one minute remaining. Sabatino was fouled after he fought for his own offensive rebound and converted two at the line to make it 58-56 Stevens with 39 seconds left.
 
The Ducks played excellent man-to-man defense the next time down, forcing a traveling violation, and following a timeout, senior guard Andrew Meszaros (Phoenixville, Pa.) swished a pair at the line as the Ducks took home a thrilling 60-58 come-from-behind conference win on the road.
 
Stevens fought its way back in the game thanks to a 14-0 run that turned a 17-point deficit with 12:46 left to just three with 7:41 left. Junior forward Kenny Gan (Hillsborough, N.J.) started the run with a layup and Sabatino poured in seven points as well.
 
Elmira would go back up six with 5:58 left but a three-pointer from Klimchak at 4:01 made it 52-49, and Sabatino's triple at 3:16 tied the game.
 
In the first half, Elmira turned a one-point deficit into a 19-point lead thanks to a 23-3 run that featured three three-pointers.
 
Sabatino led Stevens with 26 points on just 12 shots. He was 11-for-12 at the line and had six rebounds and three blocked shots as well. Senior guard Matt Skrelja (Clark, N.J.) had 11 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals, while Meszaros finished with seven points and three rebounds. Gan had six points, eight boards and three blocked shots.
 
Stevens was 17-for-41 from the field (41.5 percent) and 3-for-13 from deep (23.1 percent). The Ducks hit 23-of-31 at the line and had eight assists (14 turnovers). The Ducks tallied nine steals as a team but were out-rebounded 29-27.
 
Elmira shot 21-for-50 from the floor (42 percent), 7-for-21 from deep (33.3 percent) and 9-for-13 at the line.
 
Stevens will return to action next Saturday with a game at Houghton College that is set for a 2 p.m. tip-off.