Cobleskill, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team's drive toward the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) play-offs took a hit on Wednesday evening as the Fighting Tigers lost to the visiting Wildcats of Cazenovia College by a 90-79 margin at the Iorio Gymnasium. With the defeat, the Fighting Tigers fall to 11-6 overall including a 5-3 mark in league action while the Wildcats are now 8-9 overall with a 6-2 league record.

Cobleskill got off to a slow start trailing at the half by a 41-34 tally as the Wildcats employed multiple zone defenses to slow down the usually high powered Fighting Tiger offense which connected on only 14-of-37 shots from the field, 37.8%, while the visitors hit on an impressive 17-for-32, 53.1%, from the field for the half.

In the second half Cazenovia extended their lead to 51-38 with 15:03 remaining before a Cobleskill comeback run of 18-5 gave the home team a 56-55 lead with 9:06 to play on a lay-up by senior guard Devin Boyle, Johnstown, N.Y., Johnstown High School. However that was the last time the Fighting Tigers would hold a lead as the Wildcats would go on a 15-to-5 run to give them a 70-61 lead with 5:29 left in regulation from which they would never look back.

Senior swingman Antwan Claxton, Bronx, N.Y., Taft High School, once again led the Fighting Tigers with an 18 point/13 rebound double/double to go with four assists and four blocked shots while senior guard Daniel Owens, Albany, N.Y., Christian Brothers Academy/Herkimer Community College, added 12 points, nine rebounds and three assists on the evening. Junior guard Khayri Harris, Queens, N.Y., Springfield Gardens High School/SUNY Ulster, returned to the starting line-up with 10 points and three rebounds with sophomore guard Lorenzo Bicknese, Somers, N.Y., Somers High School, coming off the bench to score 11 points to go with two rebounds and two assists.

The Orange & Black will next be in action on Saturday February 1^st when they travel to Keuka Park, N.Y. for a NEAC meeting with the Wolves of Keuka College with tip-off at 1:00 p.m.