Syracuse, N.Y. – Senior forward Xavier Wilson (Spring Valley, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac/The Hotchkiss School/Central Connecticut State) registered a career-high 24 points to lead the Le Moyne College men's basketball team to an 88-82 win over Adelphi University on Wednesday night in Northeast-10 Conference action at Ted Grant Court.

Wilson registered 18 of his points in the second half on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, including 3-of-3 from three-point range. Fourth-year junior forward Luke Sutherland (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee/Siena/Bryant) recorded his first career double-double with 15 points, including 12 in the second half, and a career-high 10 rebounds. Redshirt sophomore guard Kevin Constant (Lawrence, Mass./Central Catholic/Tilton School) also tallied 15 points. First-year graduate student guard Isaiah Salter (Charlotte, N.C./Central Cabarrus/American International/Adelphi) connected on four three-pointers in the first half en route to 13 points. First-year graduate student guard Mike DePersia (Cherry Hill, N.J./Haddonfield Memorial/IUPUI) flirted with a triple-double with seven points, nine assists and six rebounds.

Ronnie Silva led the Panthers in the loss with 27 points, including 17 in the second half. Dayshaun Walton posted 16 points and seven rebounds, while fellow freshmen Elijah Lewis had 14 and Mason Jackson turned in 13 points and nine rebounds.

Le Moyne, which recorded its highest point total in an NE10 contest over the last two seasons, scored the first five points and 13 of the opening 18. Wilson bookended the span with baskets, while Salter hit a pair of three-pointers and Sutherland added one of his own.

After Adelphi closed within two following baskets from Walton and Jackson, DePersia drained a three-pointer, Constant scored in the paint and Salter buried another three-pointer to give the Dolphins their first double-digit lead of the game, 21-11, with 12:09 remaining.

The teams traded points over the next four minutes before the Dolphins used an 8-2 spurt to take a half-high 14-point lead with 3:16 left. Fourth-year junior guard Jeremiah Washington (Chicago, Ill./Bogan/Ferris State) drained a three-pointer in the span and Constant scored the last four points.

Following four points from each team over the next two minutes, Walton hit a jumper with 1:08 left to get the Panthers within 45-33 at halftime.

After the teams went back and forth over the opening three minutes of the second half, Lewis and Silva hit shots to pull the Panthers within seven.

Le Moyne pushed its lead back to 14 midway through the half with 11 of the next 15 points. Constant scored in the paint, Wilson had a conventional three-point play and then Washington and Sutherland hit back-to-back three-pointers for a 63-49 advantage.

After the next eight points of the game came from the foul line, including six by the Panthers to get within 65-55, Wilson nailed his first three-pointer and Sutherland converted a baseline jumper to give the Dolphins their largest lead of the game at 70-55 with 6:19 remaining.

Following the teams splitting the next 16 points over 2:24, the Panthers pulled within single digits with six consecutive points.

Constant answered with a pair of baskets in the paint to push the margin back to 13 for the final time.

Walton had a traditional three-point play and then Lewis and Jackson made three-pointers around a Wilson dunk to make it 85-78 with 40 seconds left.

Washington and Constant converted three free throws in the final 20 seconds to close out the game.
 
Le Moyne (12-11, 9-6 NE10), which has won three straight games, continues its homestand on Saturday against Franklin Pierce University at 3:00 p.m. The Ravens are currently one-half game ahead of the Dolphins for fifth place in the NE10 standings.