Flushing, N.Y - The Queens College men's basketball team saw their attempt for a third-straight-win go for not on Wednesday night, as they fell to New York Institute of Technology, 69-63, in a game played at Fitzgerald Gym. Patrick Modzelewski came off the bench to register game-highs in points (18) and rebounds (12). The junior forward shot 8-for-13 in the contest.
The Knights took an early, 4-0 lead in the game as Dejuhan Gray opened the scoring off an assist from Amir Tarif. Tarif scored the next basket to put QC ahead, 4-0.
From there, both sides battled back-and-forth and were tied twice, the second tie coming at 16-16, with 8:35 remaining in the half. Patrick Parker immediately gave QC the lead from there, burying an open three-pointer following an NYIT missed layup. Shortly after that, Parker slashed through the paint to put Queens up, 21-16, with a layup at 7:03. With 4:42 remaining, Modzelewski gave the Knights there largest lead of the half, eight points, when he scored off a feed from Richard Council, Jr. The basket made the score, 25-17 with 4:42 left.
The Knights went into halftime up 31-29; thanks to a Jeremiah Mordi jumper off Modzelewski's 11th rebound of the half.
The QC advantage would get back up to six points in the second half when Kyheim Chaplin nailed a three-pointer at 15:49, to make the score, 41-35. Eventually a Markus Moore three-pointer at 3:12 brought the Bears even at 57-57. NYIT took the lead for good with 1:50 remaining in regulation.
On a later Knights' possession, Parker found Modzelewski in the paint, and his bucket brought Queens to 63-59, with 0:35 left. Three seconds later, Parker stole the inbounds pass and found Amir Tarif for a bucket that made the score 63-61. Queens called a timeout after that. Following the respite, the Knights went for the steal, but were forced to foul. Moore made a pair of free throws and NYIT led, 65-61.
With 0:16 left, Jeremiah Mordi slashed through the lane and scored to make it, 65-63, for the Bears. The Knights tried for the steal, but were forced to foul. NYIT made the foul shots and won 69-63.
In the addition to Modzelewski's double-double, QC got 16 points from Mord, while Chaplin was a perfect 3-of-3 from the field. Parker finished with a game-best, five assists.
The Queens College men's basketball team returns to action on Saturday, January 25, when they face LIU Post at 3:30 PM from Long Island.
