Box Score

Aurora, N.Y. -- The Ithaca men's basketball team (3-8) suffered its sixth loss of the season by five points or less, and third in a row, with a 73-72 setback at Wells (4-4) in its 2011 finale on Friday.

Despite edging the Express, 33-32, in the second half, the Bombers could not rewrite their 41-39 halftime deficit.  Wells, who won its fourth straight game, did not surrender the lead in the first frame, though the Bombers twice knotted the action. Ithaca took the lead early in the second, and the advantage bounced back-and-forth throughout, but a three-pointer with just seconds lingering on the clock gave the host Express the victory. Ithaca had a chance to tie the game at the foul line at the end of regulation, but was unable to convert on the back-end of two.

Junior Sean Rossi (Sparta/Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) dished out a season- and game-high 16 assists in addition to his nine points and two steals. Senior Jordan Marcus (Solomon Schechter/West Orange, N.J.) put up 23 points and sophomore Frank Mitchell (Hillsborough/Hillsborough, N.J.) added 15 to lead Ithaca's offensive efforts. Sophomore Tom Sweeney (Wissahickon/Ambler, Pa.) chipped in nine from the floor.

The Express opened the game with a trey and used seven unanswered to lead by 10 with 3:40 left in the first. The Bombers pieced together a 12-4 stretch to fight back within two, 41-39, at intermission.

Ithaca took a 53-47 lead at 15:23 in the second on a 9-0 run. The Bombers held the lead for almost five minutes until Wells bounced back. Ithaca went on to take its largest lead of the game, 68-61, at 7:21 with a 10-2 run, but Wells mounted a 12-4 streak down the stretch that claimed it the win.

The Express outrebounded Ithaca, 33-21, and hit 61.5 percent from the floor to Ithaca's 50.8.

The Bombers will open Empire 8 action on Friday, Jan. 6 hosting St. John Fisher at 8 p.m.