Iorio's career night, American tops St. Francis (Pa.) 95-82

Dec 5, 2018, 02:15 pm

WASHINGTON -- Sam Iorio hit seven 3-pointers, scored 33 points, both career highs, leading five into double-figure scoring and American held off St. Francis (Pa.) 95-82 Tuesday night, its highest-scoring game this season.

Sa'eed Nelson added 17 points with 12 assists and Mark Gasperini scored 14 with seven assists. Larry Motzius added 15 points.

American (5-2) started quickly, Marvin Bragg scoring after St. Francis missed the first shot of the game, and jumped out 7-0 lead on a Nelson drive and the first of Iorio's 3s. The Eagles led by as many as 23 in the first half, 50-30 at the break.

St. Francis cut the lead down to five points, 66-61 with a 27-12 run over 10 minutes of the second half. Bragg nailed a 3-pointer to blunt the run and spark a 12-0 surge for American.

The Red Flash (3-4) got as close as nine by the two-minute mark but Iorio blocked a 3-point attempt from Keith Braxton, Nelson grabbed the board and kicked it to Iorio at the other end for his seventh and final 3 with 30 seconds left.

Isaiah Blackmon led St. Francis with 22 points, Braxton and Jamaal King scored 16 each. Braxton had 14 rebounds.