FIRST ROUND NCAA DIVISION III TOURNAMENT Newport News, VA---On a bittersweet evening, the Brooklyn College men's basketball team ended the successful 2015-16 season, falling to New York University in the First Round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, 86-67. Senior guard Egzon Gjonbalaj brought some light to the defeat, scoring 20 points to become Brooklyn College's All-Time Leading Scorer, ending his storied career with 1,848 points, a point more than Richard Jean-Baptiste who held the record for six years. BC ends the season with a 22-7 overall record and their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since the 2009-10 season.

During the post-game press conference, Brooklyn Head Coach, Rich Micallef spoke candidly when asked about what the eight seniors that dressed tonight meant to the BC basketball program, "They meant everything to us...they were focused and they came to practice and worked hard everyday."

NYU would use their size and strength to their advantage this evening, eventually wearing a BC team down in the later parts of the second half. Leading by ten points with just under seven minutes to play in the game, the Wildcats would go on a 9-1 run that would solidify the First Round victory.

"We're not very tall at all, we're based on speed and quickness," senior guard Jamel Gist would say after the game. "Going up against them was a great experience. We aren't used to playing against guys like that. They were the better team tonight, but we fought as hard as we could. It just wasn't there tonight."

After exchanging baskets through the first four minutes of the second half, NYU would take a ten point lead on a runner and put-back in the paint.

Every time the Bulldogs looked to gain some momentum, NYU would pound it in the paint and either score a lay-up or get to the charity stripe to keep a two to three possession lead through the first ten minutes of the second half.

After cutting the NYU lead to four points, the Wildcats went on a 6-0 run capped by a fast-break alley-oop lay-in for the 65-55 lead with 8:54 left in the game. An NYU three shortly after a BC timeout gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game (13) at that point.

Without being able to get anything going offensively, the Bulldogs found themselves at a 79-61 disadvantage with 3:30 left in regulation.

Prior to the first media timeout of the first half, NYU would go on a 10-0 run to take an 11-2 lead at the 15:51 mark. Senior forward Lorenzo Williams ended the scoring drought with a runner in the paint with 15:12 remaining in the opening period.

Back-to-back Chris McIllhatton three-point makes cut the NYU score to 13-10. The Wildcats responded with two threes of their own to push their lead back up to nine just over halfway through the first half.

A Lorenzo Williams three-point play with 6:31 left in the first half cut the NYU lead to 23-17. Two Williams' free throws slimmed the lead to four with 3:30 remaining in the first period.

An NYU three gave the Wildcats an eight point lead with just over a minute to go in the first half. BC responded with Chris McIllhatton's third three in the first half to cut the NYU lead to 38-33 at the intermission.

Senior guard Egzon Gjonbalaj finished the first half on a scoring tear, finishing with eleven points.

Second-chance opportunities helped the Wildcats keep the lead, grabbing eight offensive rebounds to the Bulldogs' three in the first half.

Reflecting on his playing career at BC, Brooklyn College's new All-Time Leading Scorer, Egzon Gjonbalaj, would go on to say, "My time at Brooklyn College was one of the best times I've ever had and I wouldn't choose any other school. My teammates are all my brothers and I thank them."

Gjonbalaj would lead the way for the Bulldogs in scoring with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Lorenzo Williams finished with 17 points. Chris McIllhatton closed a stellar postseason off of the bench with 11 points including 3-4 from beyond the arc.

In closing, Jamel Gist spoke on the future of the Brooklyn College men's basketball program saying, "We have a lot to look forward to. A great coach running the show. We set a trend, a mold, for the team next year to get back here and fight every night...Brooklyn College will definitely dance again in the future."