ELMIRA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team suffered a tough 66-63 Empire 8 Conference loss at Elmira College on Saturday afternoon at Speidel Gymnasium. With the defeat, Ithaca drops its record to 6-10 on the season and 2-5 in the Empire 8, while Elmira snaps its 10-game losing streak to improve to 3-12 on the year as well as pick up its first conference win.

In a game that witnessed 11 lead changes and six ties, neither team would lead by more than nine points throughout the 40 minutes. Ithaca held that nine-point cushion at 49-40 with 12:07 to play in the second half, but Elmira answered with an 11-1 run over the next 2:49 to go ahead, 51-50.

A 3-pointer from sophomore Matt Flood put the Bombers back in front, 53-51, at the 7:57 mark, but the Soaring Eagles knotted things back up less than a minute later. After a four-point spurt by Ithaca on layups from junior Marc Chasin staked the Bombers to a 57-53 advantage and 5:21 to play, the Soaring Eagles netted seven unanswered in a two-minute stretch to go back in front, 60-57.

The Bombers got to within one point on three different occasions over the final 2:49 in regulation, but they could never find the equalizer or go-ahead basket. Ithaca had a chance to win the game with 10 seconds to play, but missed a layup, and after two makes at the line for Elmira with seven seconds to play, the Bombers came up short on their final 3-point attempt of the game.

Chasin finished the afternoon with 11 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Freshman Riley Thompson scored a team-best 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting, include three from distance. Sophomore Peter Ezema and freshman Gabe Perez-Ronchetta contributed nine and eight points in the loss. Ezema also pulled down seven rebounds.

Flood chipped in seven points, while junior Joey Flanagan added five. Freshman Sebastian Alderete tallied five points and four rebounds, while junior Tyler Lemza had four points.

Ithaca went 21-for-56 from the field (37.5-percent), while Elmira shot 45.6-percent (26-for-57). The Bombers were also outrebounded, 39-29.

IC will look to get back in the win column next Thursday, January 26 as it plays host to Utica College at 8 p.m. in Ben Light Gymnasium.