Box Score

HAMILTON, N.Y. (2/4/12) – Charles Hinkle scored a game-high 23 points including a three-pointer with 33 seconds remaining to help lift American past the Colgate men's basketball team 59-58 Saturday afternoon at Cotterell Court.

After Hinkle gave the Eagles a 59-57 lead, senior Sterling Melville was fouled and split a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left. Melville then made up for his missed free throw by stealing the inbound pass to give the Raiders one more chance with eight seconds left. After a Colgate timeout junior Mitch Rolls missed a three point attempt with three ticks left, got his own rebound but couldn't get a second attempt off before the buzzer sounded to give American the one point win.

Senior guard Mike Venezia scored in double-figures for the third-straight game to lead Colgate with 13 points, including a three-pointer with a minute remaining to put the Raiders up 57-56. Classmate Nick Pascale and sophomore Pat Moore both scored nine points while Melville pitched in eight in the loss.

Both teams exchanged baskets for a majority of the first half as the score was tied four times with eight lead changes. American made the first run of the game 11-5 to break open a 14-14 tie to give the Eagles a 25-19 lead with four minutes remaining. But Colgate ended the half with a 5-0 run to make the score 25-24 as both teams entered the locker room.

Colgate (7-16, 1-7) scored the first five points of the second half, off a jumper by Venezia and three-pointer form Brandon James, to take a 29-25 lead with 18 minutes remaining. But the Eagles answered back with five-straight points to retake the lead 30-29 with 16:13 left. The teams would then exchange baskets for the next seven minutes, before the Eagles opened their largest lead of the game 47-40 with 8:20 remaining. Colgate then put together a 12-2 run over the next five minutes, including a pair of layups from Rolls, to give the Raiders a 52-49 lead with 3:34 remaining. After a 4-0 run gave American the lead 53-52 with 1:47 left, the two teams then exchanged the lead three times in the final minute before American was able to hold on for the one point win.

Hinkle shot 9-of-19 on the day including 5-of-8 from downtown to lead American, while Troy Brewer scored nine points and Blake Jolivette pitched in seven.

American (15-8, 6-2) shot 43.9 percent from the floor, including 7-of-13 from beyond the arc, while Colgate shot 41.3 percent overall and 4-of-14 from downtown. Colgate won the battle on the boards 30-29, and only turned the ball over five times.

Colgate will continue Patriot League play when it hosts Bucknell on Wednesday, Feb. 8. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. at Cotterell Court and will be streamed live on Patriot League All-Access.