WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- The Elmira College men's basketball was unable to usurp Penn College in a back-and-forth slugfest on Tuesday evening, as the Soaring Eagles dropped a tight road battle to the Wildcats, 84-77.
In a contest that featured eight lead changes, the Wildcats (2-4) fared slightly better on the offensive end, as they knocked down 51.6% (32-of-62) of their attempts from the floor and posted a 48.0% (12-of-25) mark from deep. Elmira (0-5) hung right with Penn College all evening, as the Soaring Eagles shot at a season-best clip of 42.0% (29-of-69).
Despite EC's best efforts, the Wildcats knocked down seven 3-pointers in the second half to maintain their slim edge as the clock ran out. Penn College's Fred Young proved to be a menace to Elmira's defense, posting 27 points in 31 minutes of action. A trio of Soaring Eagles finished in double figures, led by
Mason Weir '21, who posted a career-high 17 points.
Shawn Backus '21 (14) and
Jesse Adelson '20 (12) rounded out Elmira's leading scorers.
The topsy-turvy nature of the contest started from the opening whistle, as both sides traded buckets from the start of the game.
Jeremy Every '20 eventually pushed EC ahead, 20-15, with a smooth finish in the paint. The Wildcats battled back, however, as Ben Sosa finished through a foul to knot the score at 22-22.
As Penn College began to build a lead,
Brendan Hyde '21 halted the home side's momentum by getting three points the old fashion way after absorbing contact on an attempt in the post. Young responded for the Wildcats with a shot from beyond the arc, but
Kyle Kokoskie '22 had the final say in the opening half with a driving layup to make it a 33-30 game at the break.
Elmira stayed in step with Penn College to open the second half, as Weir eventually tied the score at 43-43 following two consecutive baskets. As time continued to tick off the clock, Elmira took its largest lead of the contest at 69-61 following layups from
Quintel Clements '22 and
Rashaad Nurse '22.
Despite holding the advantage, Penn College battled back and seized the lead for good with 3:31 left on the clock after a make from Elijah Vasquez. With a little over two minutes to play, Adelson pulled Elmira back within two points with three consecutive shots from the charity stripe. The Soaring Eagles were unable to find consistent scoring from there, as the Wildcats knocked down their free throws late to seal the contest.
News and Notes
- Elmira shot at a season-best 42.0% (29-of-69) clip from the field.
- EC's bench outscored Penn College's bench, 39-to-18.
- The Wildcats won the battle on the boards, 38-to-36.
- The Soaring Eagles tied their season-high with 16 assists.
- Weir's 17 points were a career-high.
- Clements finished one point shy of a double-double with nine points and a team-leading 11 rebounds.
- Backus has reached double figures in three of Elmira's five contests.
- Rookie David Kruis '23 tallied a season-best six points off the bench.
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles return to Speidel Gymnasium on Saturday, November 30, to host Hilbert College in a non-conference affair. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
