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The St. John Fisher College men's basketball team dropped a 74-68 decision at Stevens Institute of Technology on Saturday.   With the loss, Fisher falls to 9-6 overall and 4-2 in the Empire 8.

The Cardinals fell behind early, as the Ducks jumped out to a 16-6 lead seven minutes into the contest.  Fisher answered with 13-2 run and took a 19-18 lead on a 3-point-play from sophomore Optimystik Kinard with 6:49 left in the first.   It would be Fisher's only lead of the game, however.

Fisher trailed 30-27 after a 3-pointer from Thad Wier, but the Ducks scored the final five points of the half, including an ally-oop dunk at the buzzer to take a 35-27 lead at the break.  Stevens made it a 10-0 run, taking its biggest lead of the game at 40-27 before Fisher answered with an 8-0 run, capped by a 4-point-play from Wier with 13:50 left.

It was a back-and-forth game for the rest of the day, as Stevens never led by more than 11.   The Cardinals made it a two-possession game in the final minute and hit three 3-pointers in the final 39 seconds, but Stevens sealed the game at the foul line, going 9-for-10 in the closing moments.

The Ducks went to the foul line 29 times, converting on 24 shots, while Fisher was 10-of-12 at the charity stripe for the game.

Wier and freshman Chaz Lott scored 15 points, while Jason Norsen scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half.  Tyler Hart scored all eight of his points in the second half.

Fisher returns to action at 8 p.m. on Tuesday and will host Nazareth College.