Elmira Defeats Ithaca in Men's Basketball For First Time in 10 Years
Elmira, NY – The Elmira College Men’s Basketball team pulled off a huge upset, upending visiting Ithaca College, 70-62, Friday evening to help kickoff Athletics Alumni Weekend in a grand fashion. Backed by a boisterous crowd of current students, alumni, and faculty, the team used the crowd’s energy to beat the Bombers for the first time in 10 years. The win improves the Soaring Eagles to 1-22 overall and 1-11 in Empire 8 play, while the loss drops Ithaca to 10-13 overall and 7-5 in conference competition.
Elmira got out to an early 7-2 lead as both teams traded scores back-and-forth throughout the first 20 minutes. The half saw five different ties as the Purple and Gold took a slim 32-30 advantage into intermission. Kurt Dutcher ’14 (Gaylord, MI -- Gaylord) led Elmira with 10 points, while Dan O’Brien ’14 (Oneonta, NY -- Oneonta) and Chris Cassidy ’14 (Colts Neck, NJ -- Colts Neck) chipped in eight points apiece. Sean Rossi led the Bombers with 10 points and four assists in the half.
EC used a 9-2 run out of break, taking a 41-34 lead after O’Brien hit a jumper from the left elbow. Ithaca went on a 9-2 run to battle back to 43 all. From that point the game was a tight contest throughout. Ithaca led by one and EC battled back to take a seven point lead with 2:30 left after O’Brien made a three, a steal, and converted two free throws. Ithaca went on a 6-1 run to bring the score within 62-60 with 1:11 to play.
Cassidy made a nice up and under move just inside the right elbow as the shot clock expired to increase the lead back to four with 35 seconds remaining. The Bombers responded with a quick lay-in to cut the Soaring Eagle lead to two. Dutcher hit two clutch free throws with 24 seconds left to once again increase the margin to four. After a missed Ithaca three-pointer and two more free throws each from O’Brien and Cassidy, the Purple and Gold closed out the 70-62 victory.
O’Brien led four EC scorers in double figures as he tallied 20 points and seven rebounds. Cassidy finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Dutcher and Josh Keys ’14 (Bel Air, MD -- CM Wright) added 12 points apiece. Eric Klinedinst ’12 (York, PA -- Northeastern) proved to be the offensive catalyst dishing out eight assists with only two turnovers in 40 minutes. Elmira shot 49 percent from the field in the game, while Ithaca made 42 percent of its shots. The Soaring Eagles shot 93 percent from the charity stripe in the game, draining 11 of their 12 attempts in the second half. EC held a 31-26 advantage on the glass and a 16-12 edge in bench points. The Elmira win breaks a 20-game losing streak to the Bombers.