WASHINGTON - As time expired, American University men's basketball senior point guard Sa'eed Nelson hit a fadeaway jumper to give the Eagles their first win of the year, 67-65 at city rival George Washington (1-2). Nelson, the Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year, finished with team-highs of 20 points and five steals for AU (1-2).

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The buzzer-beater was one of two big shots Nelson hit in the final 25 seconds, breaking ties both times. His first, a layup at 23 seconds, broke a 63-63 tie that had stood for close to a minute and a half of action.
• GW freshman Jameer Nelson, Jr. got to the bucket for a layup at 14 seconds to make it 65-65, and the Colonials called timeout.
• Nelson took charge of the final possession and dribbled around until finding his spot on the left side and draining his shot as the horn sounded.
• Two other players also finished in double figures in scoring for AU, as Stacy Beckton Jr. and Jacob Boonyasith posted 13 points apiece. Beckton and Josh Alexander tied for team-high rebounding honors with seven.
• AU recorded 13 steals, just one shy of its season high from all of 2018-19. Five of those belonged to Nelson, while Alexander added three.
• The Eagles trailed for only a 14-second stretch in the first half, but both teams shot poorly, particularly early on.
• Ten of AU's steals came in the opening period, helping give the Eagles a number of extra possessions which were crucial in overcoming their offensive woes. 
• With a 6-0 run, AU took a 26-21 lead late in the first half and made it a 33-26 lead at the break.
• The Colonials hit 11 of their first 15 shots in the second half and the game saw its first tie at 48-48 with 11:25 to go.
• Six lead changes and four more ties followed, with neither team leading by more than four the rest of the way.
• AU trailed by a slim margin down the stretch, but Boonyasith hit a key three-pointer for a one-point lead at 2:19, after which the Eagles did not trail again.
• The Colonials got a massive performance out of senior forward Arnaldo Toro, who scored 20 points and tied the all-time Atlantic 10 record with 24 rebounds. 
• Toro's efforts helped GW finish with an 18-8 lead in second chance points, but the Eagles forced 17 turnovers while committing only seven and had an 18-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

UP NEXT

• American will play another game on the road, heading to St. Francis (Pa.) for a 7 p.m. contest on Saturday, Nov. 16. The Eagles return home to face Howard at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

BENDER ARENA TICKET INFO

• 2019-20 basketball season tickets are available today. Packages are priced as low as $50 and only $200 for the best chairback seats along the sideline for all home games in Bender Arena.
• Season ticket holders receive savings off the individual game price, guaranteeing fans the same great seats for all games in Bender Arena, and benefits that include the full exchange for games they cannot make – as well as discounts, and exclusive benefits throughout the year. All season ticket holders also receive their same seat for all home postseason league games and priority ticketing for all national postseason tournament games.
• AU students are admitted free of charge to home basketball games with a valid AU ID. To renew or purchase season tickets e-mail clawed@american.edu, call (202)885-TIXX (8499), or for all individual ticket purchase needs visit AUEagles.com/Tickets.

For the latest on American University Men's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_MBasketball), Facebook (AU.MBasketball) and Instagram (@au_mbasketball).