Score: Messiah College 98 - Elmira College 58
Records: Messiah (4-6), Elmira (2-7)
Location: Fleet Gymnasium - Hampden-Sydney, Virginia
 
HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Elmira College men's basketball was defeated 98-58 by Messiah College in the consolation game of the Luck Stone Holiday Tournament on Tuesday afternoon.  

Freshman guard Jesse Adelson '20 led all Soaring Eagle scorers with a career-high 20 points. Adelson was especially hot from distance, with 18 of his 20 points coming from 3-point range. Alex Ischiropoulos '20 was the only other Elmira player to score double-digit points with 18. Just like Adelson, Ischiropoulos shot well from behind the arc, scoring 12 of his 18 points from long range.

As a team, EC relied heavily on its 3-point shooting, attempting 25 and making 11. Overall, the Soaring Eagles shot 22-for-53 (41.5-percent) from the field in the contest. On the other hand, The Falcons shot very well from the floor, going 38-for-61 (62.3-percent).

The Soaring Eagles started the contest off shooting well from behind the arc, with all 15 of their first 15 points coming from 3-point range. Combined Elmira went 6-of-7 in the first 5:30 of the game, to take the 17-13 lead, EC's largest lead of the game. Adelson and Ischiropoulos scored 15 of the 17 points, all from 3-point shots. The Purple and Gold struggled shooting for the rest of the half, allowing the Falcons to take a 50-30 halftime lead.

The second half mirrored the first, as Messiah continued its hot shooting, going 18-for-27 (66.7-percent) from the field to expand its lead. The Falcons' second-half lead never dipped below 20, as Messiah cruised to the 98-58 victory.

Turning Point
Kyle McCreery '20 sank a two-point jumper with 14:31 left in the first half to give the Soaring Eagles their largest lead of the game, 17-13. Following McCreery's shot, the Falcons went on a 21-2 run to take a 36-19 lead with 7:02 left in the opening stanza. From that point, Elmira was unable to pull the deficit within 12 points for the rest of the contest. The biggest factor in the matchup was Messiah's efficient shooting and EC's inability to match it.

Inside the Box Score

• Elmira shot 22-for-53 (41.5%) from the field.
• On the other hand, Messiah went 38-for-61 (62.3%) from the floor.
• The Soaring Eagles shot well from 3-point range, as they hit 11-of-25 (44.0%) attempts from long range.
• The Falcons also shot well from distance, as they went 15-for-26 (57.7%) from behind the arc.
• Elmira was out-rebounded 31-to-25.
• The Soaring Eagles committed 16 turnovers, compared to Messiah's eight.  
• Adelson '20 paced all EC scorers with 20 points.
• Ischiropoulos scored 18 points to join Adelson as the two double-digit scorers on Elmira.
• Ischiropoulos also finished with a team-leading three assists.
• McCreery and Matt Davis '17 led the Purple and Gold with four rebounds.
• Henry Cuffee '19 went a perfect 3-for-3 from the field for six points.
• Messiah's Josh Clippinger scored a game-high 24 points.

News and Notes

• The Purple and Gold have lost five straight, as their overall record drops to 2-7.
• Messiah has taken the lead in the all-time series between the programs, 2-1.
• Adelson's 20 points is a new career high, in only his second-career game.
• Adelson's 20 points are also the second most by a Soaring Eagle this season.
• The last freshman to score 20 points for Elmira was Justin Porrett '19, who scored 24 in a matchup with Utica College in February of last season.
• Ischiropoulos also set a new career high with his 18 points.
• Adelson, Ischiropoulos, McCreery, Alex Rosen '19 and Paul Bischoff '18 all made the first starts of their careers.
• EC's 11 3-pointers made are tied for the second-most in a single game this season.
• Elmira's four steals are tied for the second-most in a game this season.

Up Next
The Soaring Eagles kick of Empire 8 Conference play when they welcome Hartwick College to Speidel Gymnasium on Tuesday, January 3rd. The matchup is scheduled to start at 8:00 p.m.