New Haven, Conn. – The backcourt duo of senior transfer Devin Coleman (Bridgeport, Conn.) and sophomore Ryan Pittman (Stratford, Conn.) combined for 47 points, five steals and nine assists to lead the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team past visiting Old Westbury, 83-71, on Tuesday evening in non-conference action at The Nest inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center.
The Falcons (2-1) won their home opener and topped the 80-point plateau for the third straight contest, while the Panthers (0-4) suffered their fourth consecutive setback.
Coleman had a career night for Albertus Magnus scoring 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. He connected on 6-of-11 shots from three-point range and netted 27 of his points in the second half to help the hosts pull away. Pittman continued his strong play with 18 points and a career-high eight assists. He knocked down 6-of-11 from the field to go along with four rebounds, two steals and a block on the defensive end. Junior forward Jaqhawn Walters (Hartford, Conn.) was the other Falcon to score in double figures, pouring in 10 points. Walters also pulled down a game-high 11 boards to record his second double-double of the season.
It was balanced offensive attack for the guests as four players scored in double figures. Sophomore forward Stanley Baker poured in 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while junior guard Kris Mondesir provided a spark off the bench with 13 points as well. Both junior guard Brandon Thomson and senior forward Lylle Ryals chipped in 11 points apiece for Old Westbury.
After a slow opening few minutes of play, AMC freshman forward Damian Grant (Waterbury, Conn.) gave the hosts the early edge. Back-and-forth the two squads would go in the opening half before a trey from Thomson gave the visitors an eight-point edge at 22-14 with 7:47 remaining. Two minutes later, the Panthers would stretch their to as many as nine at 30-21 following a three-point from Ryals.
After the two squads traded baskets, Albertus Magnus closed the half on an 11-2 run to tie it up at 34 heading into the break. The Falcons closed on an 8-0 run over the final two minutes of the first stanza as Walters capped the scoring with a lay in.
Coleman hit a trio of three-pointers early in the second half and freshman Jahmerikah Green-Younger (Norwalk, Conn.) made a pair of free throws to give Albertus Magnus a 45-36 advantage. The Falcons came alive from the field during the final 20 minutes, knocking down over 51 percent of their shhots, highlight by making an impressive 7-of-9 from three-point range. The hosts would control the tempo throughout the second frame and built their lead to as many as 16 late in the game following an eight-point flurry from Coleman.
Albertus Magnus returns to action on Thursday, December 1, with a home Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) showdown against Emmanuel that is slated to begin at 7:00 pm. Last season, the Falcons swept the Saints, winning by 11 on the road and three at home.
For the latest information on the men's basketball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
