Cobleskill, NY: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team fought tooth and nail but came up just short, dropping a 63-60 decision to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in a dramatic back-and-forth battle at home.
 
Quanire Greene (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) spearheaded the Tigers' offense, pouring in a team-high 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including clutch buckets to keep the Tigers in striking distance, he also added four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Elijah Morris (Mount Vernon, NY) chipped in with 11 points and showcased his court vision, dishing out five assists while hitting two timely three-pointers, he also added three rebounds, a steal, and a block. Jermaine Wheeler (Manhattan, NY/Marist) was a force in the paint, nearly notching a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, providing a strong defensive presence. Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) added eight points off the bench, including a crucial three-pointer that gave Cobleskill a late lead, keeping their chances alive down the stretch.
 
Statistically, the Tigers outshot RPI, converting 45.8% from the field compared to RPI's 36.2%. Both teams struggled beyond the arc, with Cobleskill shooting 29.4% and RPI hitting just 23.8%. Rebounding proved decisive, as RPI dominated the glass with 46 total boards, including 20 offensive rebounds, leading to 15 second-chance points. Cobleskill's defense generated 15 points off turnovers, matching RPI's 12 turnovers, but the Tigers struggled to capitalize on the boards, finishing with just 25 total rebounds.
 
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Wheeler opening the scoring for the Tigers with two quick layups. Greene followed with aggressive drives and a three-pointer that kept the Tigers on pace with RPI's hot hand from deep, as Avery Eugster and PJ Scalisi combined for three triples in the half. Midway through the period, a Tanksley fast break layup, assisted by Nasir Snell (Spackenkill, NY), gave Cobleskill their largest lead of the game 19-11 with 10:46 left in the half. RPI cut the lead to one point, 23-22, but the Tigers responded with a mini 4-0 run to regain control 27-22 with 2:33 on the clock. Cobleskill would go into the half with a 30-28 lead.
 
RPI came out of the half with a hot start and built a double-digit lead over Cobleskill. Trailing by 12 points with 11:54 left in the second half, the Tigers refused to back down, mounting a 15-3 run fueled by gritty defense. Greene ignited the run with a fastbreak bucket, followed by a layup from Chace Peterson (Troy, NY). Morris took center stage late in the run, nailing back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 53-53 with 5:02 to play.
 
The Tigers had several opportunities to take the lead in the final minutes. Tanksley drilled a go-ahead triple with 3:27 remaining. However, RPI capitalized on second-chance points and key free throws to regain control. With the game on the line, Cobleskill had one last chance after two free throws from RPI's Avery Eugster extended the lead to three with six seconds left. Tanksley's contested three-pointer at the buzzer just missed, sealing the hard-fought loss for the Fighting Tigers.
 
Cobleskill returns to action on Tuesday, November 26th, as they face Keuka College at 5:00 p.m. in the Iorio Gymnasium.