New York, N.Y. –  The Birmingham-Southern men's basketball team could not fend off a late push from Baruch College Tuesday night and fell 76-72 on the road in their season opener.

The Panthers (0-1), who outrebounded Baruch, trailed by 10 with two minutes to play and pulled within five, five times before the end of the game.

James McLean (Maitland, Fla./Winter Park HS) led with a team-high 16 points, going 6-for-8 from the floor, and had a game-high three steals.

Ian Thom (Cold Spring, N.Y.), Harrison Deneka (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS), and Aidan Waldrum (Hendersonville, Tenn./) earned a team-best six rebounds.  Thom also finished with a game-high five assists.

The Panthers open their home season this weekend in the annual Black Tie Classic.  They welcome Wabash College, Rose-Hulman, and Rust College to Bill Battle Coliseum November 19-20.  BSC faces Rose-Hulman Saturday at 5 p.m. after the Wabash matchup against Rust beginning at 3 p.m.

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