IMMACULATA, Pa. — The Pratt Institute men's basketball team dropped a back-and-forth thriller to Immaculata University, 89-82, in an Atlantic East Conference road game on Saturday afternoon, despite a career-high 28 points from first-year Kurt Thomas (Dallas, Texas).
In a contest that featured 10 ties and 14 lead changes, Pratt (9-8, 1-5 Atlantic East) went toe-to-toe with the hosts until the final buzzer. Thomas was dominant for the gold-and-black, shooting a remarkable 12-for-16 from the field. Several teammates also had stellar performances, including first-year Mason Fritz (Orlando, Fla.), who scored a career-high 15 points off the bench, and first-year Elijah Fermaint (Orlando, Fla.), who set career-highs with 12 rebounds and five steals.
The first half was a frantic, evenly matched affair. The Cannoneers jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, their largest of the half, but the Mighty Macs consistently answered. The lead changed hands throughout the period before Immaculata took a slim 40-37 advantage into the locker room.
The seesaw battle continued deep into the second half. Immaculata built its largest lead of the game, going up by eight, 74-66, with just over seven minutes to play. Pratt responded with a furious 14-4 run, capped by a three-pointer from Fritz that gave the Cannoneers an 80-78 lead with 3:12 remaining.
A layup by Thomas gave Pratt its final lead, 82-80, with just 1:21 on the clock. Immaculata tied the game on its next possession, then took the lead for good on a three-point play with 22 seconds left before sealing the game at the free-throw line.
Fermaint was a force on both ends of the court, adding four assists to his career-best rebounding and steal totals. Mekhi Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) chipped in 11 points and four rebounds, while Thomas Graetz (Sydney, Australia) added 10 points and six boards before fouling out.
Immaculata was led by Christian Chambers, who scored 22 points off the bench, including the go-ahead basket and free throw in the final seconds. Dylan Crews added 16 points and Mandon Seapoe chipped in 14..
Pratt continues a four-game road stretch on Wednesday, Jan. 28, traveling to Aston, Pa., for a conference game against Neumann University. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
