Waterville, ME: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team fell 106-97 in a thrilling double overtime game at Thomas College on Monday night in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) action.

The Fighting Tigers showcased balanced scoring with five players in double figures. Elijah Morris (Mount Vernon, NY) led the way with 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and a steal. Jermaine Wheeler (Manhattan, NY/Marist) was a force inside, recording 14 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, along with two assists, two blocks, and two steals, while shooting 6-of-12 from the floor. First-year standout Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) added 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Chrischen Chung (Poughkeepsie, NY/LaSalle), in his first start, poured in a career-high 16 points, complemented by four rebounds and three steals. Tristian George (Mount Vernon, NY) also hit a career-high, contributing 14 points to the effort.

Cobleskill struggled with shooting efficiency, hitting 33.3% from the field compared to Thomas's 50.6%. However, they dominated the boards with 59 rebounds, including 27 on the offensive end, which translated into 22 second-chance points. Turnovers were an issue for both teams, with Cobleskill committing 18 and Thomas 23. Defensively, the Tigers shined with 13 steals, converting them into 27 points off turnovers, but Thomas held a decisive 60-34 advantage in points in the paint.

The game opened with both teams trading baskets, with a Tanksley free throw tying it at 8-8 early. A Chace Peterson (Troy, NY) layup kept the Tigers close, narrowing Thomas's lead to 20-16. However, a quick 6-0 run by the Terriers pushed their lead to 26-16. Cobleskill fought back with a Wheeler put-back layup to make it 28-23, but Thomas surged again, building a 45-27 lead before a Morris three-pointer cut the halftime deficit to 49-36.

In the second half, the Tigers chipped away, reducing the gap to 64-53 following two George free throws with 12 minutes remaining. Another pair of free throws from Morris brought them closer, and a Tanksley three-pointer, assisted by Morris, brought the score to 73-67 with 4:30 left. Cobleskill's relentless drive saw layups from Wheeler and Tanksley cutting the lead to 83-79 with just over a minute to play. Wheeler's offensive rebound and put-back, followed by a clutch free throw, tied the game at 85-85, sending it into overtime.

In the first overtime, Tanksley's jumper gave Cobleskill an 87-86 lead. Morris kept them level at 88 with a free throw, and a clutch three-pointer from Chung gave them a 91-88 edge. Morris added two more free throws to extend the lead to 93-88, but Thomas closed the period with a 5-0 run to force a second overtime at 93-93.

In the second overtime, Thomas seized momentum early, jumping to a 99-93 lead. Cobleskill fought hard but couldn't close the gap, ultimately falling 106-97.

The Tigers return to action tomorrow, January 7, facing the University of Maine-Farmington at 7:00 p.m. in another NAC matchup.