Bangor, ME: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team faced a tough road challenge on Saturday evening, falling to Husson University 81-53 in a North Atlantic Conference contest.

Cobleskill was paced by first-year Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY), who led the charge with 13 points, six rebounds, and an assist, shooting a solid 50% from the floor (5-10). Center Jermaine Wheeler (Manhattan, NY/Marist) added a strong presence in the paint with 10 points and five rebounds. Chrischen Chung (Poughkeepsie, NY/LaSalle) chipped in eight points, snagged six boards, and swiped a steal, while Tristian George (Mount Vernon, NY) provided a spark off the bench with seven points.

In their matchup against Husson, SUNY Cobleskill struggled to find their rhythm, shooting 28.4 percent from the field compared to Husson's 45.2 percent. Husson also had the edge from beyond the arc, hitting 25.0 percent to Cobleskill's 18.8 percent. Cobleskill stayed strong at the stripe, sinking 81.8 percent of their free throws, while Husson hit 66.7 percent. On the boards, Husson out-rebounded Cobleskill 50-41, and capitalized on turnovers, scoring 16 points off Cobleskill's 14 giveaways. Husson controlled the fast break and paint, with 25 and 52 points respectively, compared to Cobleskill's seven and 26. Cobleskill's bench contributed 26 points but couldn't match Husson's 33.

Early in the game, the teams were neck-and-neck, tied at 7-7 after an and-one layup from Tanksley. However, a scoring drought ensued, allowing Husson to launch a 13-2 run, creating a gap at 20-9. The Eagles stretched their lead to 32-13 midway through the first half. Cobleskill cut into the lead briefly with a Wheeler putback, but Husson regained control, pushing the lead to 42-21 before Cobleskill narrowed the margin to 46-32 at halftime, thanks to clutch three-pointers by Chung and George.

In the second half, Husson quickly extended their lead to 54-34 and never looked back. The Tigers fought valiantly, but every comeback attempt was met with a Husson response. The Eagles sealed the game with an 81-53 victory.

Cobleskill will continue their Maine road trip as they take on Maine Maritime Academy tomorrow, January 19, with a 3:00 p.m. tip-off.