DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The warm temperatures did not bring hot shooting for the Union College men's basketball team on day one of the 2019 Land of Magic Classic, as the Dutchmen had trouble finding the basket in a 64-54 loss to Lycoming College at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's ICI Center on Saturday evening.
 
Playing for the first time in 18 days, Union (4-2) shot just 26.1 percent (18 of 69) from the field on Saturday, including a rough 6-of-31 (19.4 percent) mark from beyond the arc. Lycoming (8-3), meanwhile, shot a much more efficient 45.1 percent from the field, hitting 23 of 51 attempts.
 
Sophomore Mike Concannon was the lone Dutchman in double figures on the day, scoring 13 points to go with five rebounds and a team-best three steals. Junior Nate Freeman chipped in seven points and senior Kevin Jefferson grabbed a team-best seven boards as well.
 
Lycoming's Dyson Harward flirted with a triple-double to lead three Warriors in double figures, pacing all players with 17 points, 17 rebounds and eight blocks. In addition, Mo Terry added 15 points and seven boards and Darius Dangerfield scored 12 points.
 
The game did not start well for Union, as Lycoming connected on its first five three-point shots of the game to take a 15-2 lead less than five minutes into the contest. The Dutchmen used a 7-1 run late in the half to get within eight at 29-21 following a pair of free throws by junior Rhona Eseyade, but five straight points gave Lycoming a 34-21 lead at the half.
 
Union whittled the lead down to seven on two occasions in the second half, the first coming after a Concannon three and then again following a Freeman jumper that made it a 44-37 game with 10:21 on the clock. However, that bucket precipitated an 8-0 run for Lycoming, capped by a Harward jumper that matched the team's biggest lead of the night at 52-37 with 6:15 remaining.
 
Four Concannon freebies and a layup by junior Andrew Laub lowered the deficit to single digits again, but Union could get no closer than eight the rest of the way.
 
Union will look to end its trip to the Sunshine State on a positive note tomorrow, when the Dutchmen battle with the University of Mount Union beginning at 6 p.m.