January 19, 2002 

MIDDLEBURY, VT - The Amherst College men's basketball team - ranked 14th in the nation according to Basketball America - fell to 10-4 overall and 0-2 in conference play with a 76-69 loss at NESCAC rival Middlebury College (8-7/1-1 NESCAC) on Saturday. The loss was the Jeffs second conference setback in as many days, after a 74-45 defeat at the hands of archrival Williams College on Friday night. 

Middlebury jumped out to an early 12-2 advantage and led by as many as 21 points in the first half. Amherst rebounded with a 17-1 run with 11:04 left in regulation to cut its deficit to just four points, 58-54. The host Panthers then countered with an 8-0 flurry for a 66-54 lead they would never relinquish, holding at least a five-point lead the rest of the way. 

Junior forward Steve Zieja (Hadley, MA) paced Amherst with 23 points and 10 rebounds in defeat, while sophomore guard Adam Harper (Washington, DC) added 11 points. Eric Bundonis and Nate Anderson led Middlebury with 20 and 13 points, respectively. 

The Jeffs return to action Tuesday at 7 p.m. at non-league foe Lassell College. 

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