WASHINGTON -- Despite opening the game with an 8-0 run and holding two 10-point leads in the first half, American could not solve Lafayette, as the Leopards rallied for a 57-52 win here on Wednesday evening. The loss, which broke a four-game winning streak, was the first in the Patriot League this season for the Eagles, who in their inaugural year as a member.

American (8-8, 2-1 PL) came out blazing in the first half, and a Keith Gray dunk off a beautiful pass from Andres Rodriguez gave the Eagles an 8-0 lead after just three-and-a-half minutes of play. The margin hovered between five and nine points for most of the first half until American extended it to 10 (26-16) on two free-throws by Brian Williams.

At that point, Lafayette (8-7, 2-1 PL) sliced into the lead and closed the half on a 6-0 spurt to go into the lockerroom down 29-25.

After a basket by Gray to open the second-half scoring, Lafayette slowly whittled away at the margin, and finally too its first lead of the game at the 12:00 mark on a layup by Brian Burke, who scored 11 of his game-high 17 points in the second half.

The teams traded baskets over the next two possessions. With the score tied at 37, the Leopards used a small 5-0 spurt to take a 44-39 lead, one they would never relinquish.

American, which was forced to rely on three-point shooting in the second half, connected on just 18.8 percent (3-of-16) of their attempts from beyond the arc, and made just six for the game.

Lafayette was an efficient 16-of-22 from the line, including seven-of-eight in the final 27 seconds, when American was threatening to come back.

Steven Miles tied Burke for game-high honors with 17, while adding six rebounds. Williams went for 13 points and six rebounds.

Mick Kuberka joined Burke, who also had six assists, in double figures with 12 points.

American returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 19, when it concludes its three-game homestand by hosting Bucknell at 1:00 p.m.

GAME NOTES: There is now a four-way tie for first place in the Patriot League between American, Bucknell, Lafayette, and Navy ... the Eagles were looking for their first 3-0 start in conference play since the 1980-81 season.