Hamilton, NY — Sophomore guard Alvin Reed scored a game-high 17 points, and freshman Kyle Chones tallied a season-best 14 points, including a key 3-pointer in the final two minutes, to lift ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ to a 75-66 upset win over league leader Lafayette Friday night at Cotterell Court.
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¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ (11-10 overall, 3-5 PL) gives Lafayette (16-5, PL 7-1) its first Patriot League loss of the season, and snaps the Leopards’ seven-game winning streak. The Raiders had lost the last three games against Lafayette including a 97-86 decision earlier this season.
¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ scored the first six points of the contest, before taking a nine-point lead, 16-7, with 14:52 left. The Raiders held a nine-point advantage twice more in the first half, before Lafayette’s Justin DeBerry tied the game with a buzzer beater at halftime, 39-39.
¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ took control early in the second half, leading 51-45, with 15:23 remaining. Lafayette scored seven straight to go in front for the first time in the game, 52-51. The Leopards extended their advantage to three points, 57-54, before ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ put together a decisive 11-point run to open an eight-point lead, 65-57, with 6:04 remaining.
With ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ holding a two-point lead, 66-64, Kyle Chones nailed a 3-point field goal from the corner with 1:03 left. Lafayette came back with a layup by Mike Farrell, before the Raiders scored the final six points from the foul line.
Other ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ players in double figures were Kendall Chones and Andrew Zidar with 12 apiece and Mark Linebaugh with 11.
Farrell led Lafayette with 14 points followed by DeBerry with 13 and Winston Davis with 11.
The Raiders held a 12-rebound advantage over Lafayette, 39-27, with Kendall Chones grabbing nine. That helped ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ overcome the Leopards’ 52 percent shooting performance from the field.
GAME NOTES: Reed reached the 400-point mark in his career with his 17-point effort. He has scored 403 points ‘ ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ played its fifth straight game without leading scorer Howard Blue.