Morrisville, NY - Four free throws in the final seven seconds of the game turned a one-point lead for the Clarkson Men's Basketball team into a three-point loss as the Golden Knights fell in their season opener against Morrisville State on Friday night.

The Golden Knights got off to a fast start with 19 points in the first seven minutes, shooting 7-for-10 from the floor, but the Mustangs were right there with them and only trailed by four points (19-15). Unfortunately, Clarkson's hot shooting cooled considerably for the rest of the half as the team shot just 2-for-13 for the rest of the half. With the Knights staying in the game mostly on free throws only, Morrisville pushed its lead to 10 points with just a few minutes to go in the half and closed with an eight-point break at intermission.

Though the Knights suffered from shooting woes in the final 13 minutes of the first half, their struggles didn't continue into the second half, as Clarkson quickly recovered and was back within one possession in just a few minutes in the second half. Clarkson was unable to complete its comeback until the 6:48 mark when Conrad Zampier buried a pair of free throws to give the Knights a 50-49 lead. That advantage didn't last long, but the Knights appeared to be poised to squeak out a close win on the road. Felix Abongo nailed a jumper in the paint with 85 seconds to go and another make with 15 seconds to go had Clarkson up by a point. Abongo committed a foul with seven seconds to go and Ibrahima Toure made both of his free throws to put the Mustangs up by one. A costly turnover in the waning moments forced Abongo to commit another foul in hopes of getting the Knights another shot, but unfortunately it was the senior's fifth of the contest. After two more makes from the free throw line by Trent Ward, the Mustangs had a three-point lead that they would not relinquish.

Abongo finished with a double-double, recording 15 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three assists and three steals. Drew Zlogar scored 12 points and also had seven boards while Derek Hart and Conrad Zampier contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively. For Morrisville, Trent Ward had a game-high 17 points while also producing four assists and three steals. Qwuhail Barlow also had 10 points and five assists for the Mustangs.

Clarkson had a 36-22 advantage on the glass, including a 22-9 edge in the second half, and the Mustangs were held to just three offensive rebounds in the contest.