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HAMILTON – Junior transfer Ethan Jacobs registered 19 points and four rebounds, but his career-high day couldn't spark a Colgate men's basketball victory as the Raiders fell 69-62 to American here Saturday afternoon.

"Our offense hasn't been the issue," Colgate head coach Matt Langel said. "Today we just played our offense by moving the ball and our bodies. We have some guys with good skills who can make a jump shot and get to the basket a little bit. But our focus has to be on the defensive end and making some of the little discipline plays that can help you win a game.

"Winning teams are very disciplined. We are right there. We just lack that little bit of discipline it takes to close out a possession or finish a play, and then ultimately at the end of the game it will result in us having the lead and taking the victory."

Overall Colgate (6-9, 0-4) shot 51.2 percent from the floor after shooting a season-high 71.4 percent in the opening 20 minutes. In the first half, the Raiders had a game-high 11-point lead but saw the Eagles shoot an impressive 77.8 percent from the floor in the second half to steal the win. American missed just four shots in the final half to finish the day shooting 62.5 percent from the floor.

Jacobs led the Raiders with his career-high 19 to go with four boards while going 3-of-4 from long range. Damon Sherman-Newsome and Austin Tillotson each posted double-figures with 14 and 12 points, respectively, to add to the Raiders' total. Sherman-Newsome also notched a game-high three makes from downtown while Tillotson and Luke Roh recorded a team-high four assists.

American (8-7, 4-0) saw four players hit double-digits, with Darius Gardner leading the way with a game-high 21 points. John Schoof went 3-of-7 from downtown for his 15 points while Kyle Kager and Jesse Reed closed out the Eagles in double-figures with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Gardner and Tony Wroblicky pulled down a game-high seven boards and Wroblicky added a game-high six assists in the contest.

The Eagles started the game on a 5-0 run until Tillotson ended the Raider drought with a layup to make the score 5-2 with 17:55 left to play in the half.

Colgate pulled within one following a Nathan Harries 3-pointer before taking its first lead of the game at 21-19 after Sherman-Newsome drained one from deep on the Raiders' next possession. 

After American tied the game at 23-all, the Raiders went on an 11-0 run to create an 11-point margin between the teams at 34-23 with 1:18 remaining in the half. Reed hit a trey for American, however, with seven seconds left to cut into Colgate's lead heading into the break

Despite American starting the second half on a 4-0 run, Colgate kept the lead for most of the opening 10 minutes after it hit three from long distance for its first three field goals of the half. Jacobs had two of those 3-pointers during that span.

Colgate extended its lead to nine at 43-34, but the Eagles' quickly answered by going on a 13-4 run to knot the score at 47-47 with 10:54 left to play.

The Raiders took back their lead following a Harries jumper but again American would go on a run, scoring the next eight points to take a 55-49 edge with 6:03 remaining in the game. The Eagles kept the Raiders scoreless for four minutes and 13 seconds during that run.

A big and-1 from Sherman-Newsome cut American's lead to two at 61-59 with 1:10 left to play, but the Eagles hit a huge 3-pointer on their next possession to push their advantage back to five.

Colgate tried to rally in the final minute of action but the Eagles would finish the game making 5-of-6 from the free throw line to take the seven-point victory.

The Raiders are back on the road Wednesday when they travel to top-seeded Boston U. for a 7 p.m. tipoff with the Terriers.

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