Score: Ithaca College 83, Elmira College 67
Records: Ithaca (7-15, 3-10 E8), Elmira (3-18, 1-11 E8)
Location: Ithaca, N.Y. - Ben Light Gymnasium

ITHACA, N.Y. -- An ice-cold start by the Elmira College men's basketball team negated a valiant second-half effort from freshman Alex Ischiropoulos '20, who scored a season-high-tying 21 points during Tuesday night's 83-67 Empire 8 Conference loss on the road against Ithaca College.

Matt Davis '17 and Anthony Abate '19 each scored two points in the first one-and-a-half minutes to put the Soaring Eagles ahead, 4-0. However, beginning at the 18:16 mark of the first half, the Bombers went on a game-changing 17-0 run over the next 4:06. IC would go ahead by as many as 28 points in the half, 42-14, before from Connor Bays '18 connected from 3-point range and an Abate lay-in had the Purple and Gold trailing by 25 at halftime, 44-19.

Ischiropoulos came out of the locker room and netted 13 of Elmira's first 19 points in the second half, as one of very few bright spots for the EC offense in the game. He, Alex Rosen '19, and Jesse Adelson '20 each connected from beyond the arc to whittle the looming Ithaca advantage down to 56-40 near the midway point in the second half.
Adelson's second of three successful 3-pointers brought the Soaring Eagles within 12 points of the lead, 63-51, with seven-and-a-half minutes to play, but that's as close as Elmira would come for the remainder of the contest.

Turning Point
In the previous meeting with the Bombers at Speidel Gymnasium on January 21st, the Soaring Eagles shot 50.0 percent (14-for-28) from the field in the first half with just five turnovers, en route to a 66-63 victory. However, on the road on Tuesday night, Elmira's offense looked like  a completely different unit, shooting a mere 25.0 percent (8-for-32) with 11 turnovers in the opening half. As a result, the Purple and Gold found themselves in a hole too large to overcome, despite outscoring IC in the second half, 48-39.

Inside the Box Score

• Elmira finished with a 32.9 field goal percentage, having made 25-of-76 shots.
• From 3-point range, EC made 7-of-18 attempts (38.9 percent).
• Ithaca was nearly identical from 3-point land (7-of-19), but finished with a field goal percentage of 45.0 percent (27-of-60).
• The Soaring Eagles out-rebounded the Bombers, 52-to-46, including a 23-to-11 advantage on the offensive glass.
• IC had more blocks (8-to-3) and more steals (6-to-5).
• Ischiropoulos scored a team-high 21 points, 19 of which came in the second half.
• Justin Ruback '18 followed with 12 points, including eight in the second half.
• Adelson rounded out EC's double-digit scorers with 11 second-half points.
• Matt Flood and Riley Thompson paced Ithaca with 23 and 21 points, respectively.
• Both Flood and Thompson excelled from beyond the arc, shooting a combined 7-for-12 from deep.
• Marc Chasin also reached the 20-point plateau and dished out a game-high five assists for the Bombers.

News and Notes

• Elmira is 3-18 overall on the season and 1-11 against Empire 8 competition.
• The Soaring Eagles and Bombers split the 2016-17 series, with each team winning on their home court.
• EC's 52 rebounds are a season high.
• 52 rebounds are the most by the Soaring Eagles in a since game since hauling in 54 on December 4, 2003, in an 80-79 victory over Houghton College.
• Ischiropoulos tied his season high with 21 points, while grabbing a season-best seven rebounds.
• Ruback tied his previous career high with 12 points.
• Adelson scored double-digits for the fourth time this season.

Up Next
Elmira will travel to Rochester, New York, for an 8:00 p.m. Empire 8 Conference contest with the Golden Flyers of Nazareth College on Thursday, February 9th.