PURCHASE, N.Y.—The College at Brockport men's basketball team lost their first game of the season on Friday, 66-63, as they battled against Western Connecticut State University in the AJ Buchanan Classic, hosted at Manhattanville College. The Golden Eagles sit at 0-1 to start the year as the Colonials move to 1-0.
 
Josh Nelson scored the first points of the year with a put back layup to give the team the only lead they had all night, 2-0. Senior guard, Hamed Shamseldin, kept the Green and Gold as close as he could using his 7-of-10 shooting from the free-throw line to stay within striking distance in the first half. However, a 6-0 run saw the deficit grow to 11 and force a time out by head coach Greg Dunne. After the break, junior transfer Tyler Collins, netted two three-pointers to cut the lead to single digits with just over six minutes left. Unfortunately, that is as close as Brockport got in the first half, as heading into the half they found themselves down 41-32.
 
The Green and Gold did not go quietly however, as they continued to battle. The team found themselves down 16 with 11:37 left to play, but after a dunk by Justin Summers, the team went on a 10-0 run to cut the lead to just six for the Colonials. Summers, Nelson and Collins combined for the first eight points before Shamseldin knocked in two more free-throws to bring the score to 59-53 with 5:30 left to play. The Golden Eagles were not done there, as after a bucket by the opponent, Shamseldin knocked in two more buckets from the charity stripe before drilling a three-pointer to cut the lead to 61-58. The comeback fell just short for Brockport as the two teams traded points back-and-forth and as the horn blew the final score was 66-63.
 
Shamseldin finished as the leading scorer for the Green and Gold with 19 points and shot 12-of-16 from the free throw line. Collins was next with 16 points off of 5-of-8 shooting and also snagged seven rebounds.
 
Brockport will await their next opponent which will come at the end of the Manhattanville/ William Paterson matchup. The game will be played Saturday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. for the second day of the AJ Buchanan Classic.
 
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