University of Albany Men's Basketball defeats St.Francis, heads down to Duke

Albany, N.Y. - Tim Ambrose came off the bench to score all 17 of his career-high total in the second half to lead UAlbany to a 66-53 victory over St. Francis, N.Y. on Saturday afternoon at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes snapped a three-game losing streak.

St. Francis (3-8) pushed out to a 31-24 lead with 15:47 remaining when Kayode Ayeni, who had 17 points, scored off a loose ball in the lane. UAlbany (5-4) responded with 15 unanswered over the next six-plus minutes. Ambrose, who fueled the run, followed up a missed jumper and hit two free throws. Brian Connelly, who totaled 15 points and nine rebounds, put his team ahead with a driving bank shot on the left baseline. Brian Lillis later made a one-hander on the right baseline, before Ambrose sank a pair of foul shots for a 39-31 cushion.

The Great Danes, who have won 20 of their last 22 home games, still led 39-36, but then pulled away with an 11-2 outburst. Ambrose made two free throws and a baseline jumper in that span. Jon Iati's three-pointer from left of the key provided his club with a 50-38 lead with 5:29 remaining.

"When you are coming off final exams you never know what you're going to get,” said UAlbany head coach Will Brown, whose team meets No. 6 Duke in its next game on Monday. “We practiced better than we played this week. Tim Ambrose brought a lot of energy off the bench. He has the talent and the ability, I just have to be patient with him."

The Terriers, who have dropped five straight, had two other players in double figures. Ricky Cadell finished with 14, while Marcus Williams had 10. Robert Hines, the team's top scorer, did not play due to a suspension. Lillis, a 6'5" senior, had 14 points and eight rebounds. Brent Wilson was the fourth UAlbany player in twin figures with 10.

In a first half where both teams struggled offensively, St. Francis reversed a 20-18 deficit with six straight points. Marcus Williams converted a back-door layup to put his team in front and then scored off a steal. The Terriers took a 24-22 lead to the locker room.

The Great Danes, who shot 34.8 percent and committed 12 turnovers in the period, led 14-9 midway through the half. But Ayeni, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, wiped out that margin by tallying seven points in a row, including a three-point field goal from the left corner.

"We just didn't have any energy from the beginning, and that's the older guys fault,” said Wilson. “(Tim) Ambrose and (Al) Turley stepped up and showed they are capable. They definitely have the talent and you saw a glimpse of that today. This (the win) was important because you don't want to go on this next stretch with a losing streak."