Cobleskill, NY – The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team saw its three-game home winning streak come to an end Saturday afternoon, as the Tigers battled to the final minutes before dropping an 86-80 North Atlantic Conference decision to the University of Maine–Farmington inside the Iorio Gymnasium.

Cobleskill placed four players in double figures, led by Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) with 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists while shooting 6-of-11 from the floor and 2-of-5 from three. Cameron Rhode (Elmira, NY) turned in a strong all-around effort with 14 points, five rebounds and a steal on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting performance. MJ Ford (Staten Island, NY) posted a career-high 13 points, while Emilio Nabli (Brooklyn, NY) added 11 points, four rebounds and four assists. Zander Poissant (East Greenbush, NY) provided a lift off the bench with nine points and three rebounds.

Both teams shot well offensively, with Cobleskill finishing at 43.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range. Maine–Farmington connected on 48.5 percent of its shots and won the battle inside, outrebounding the Tigers 49-34 and holding a 56-38 advantage in points in the paint. The Beavers also found success in transition, outscoring Cobleskill 18-4 on the fast break. The Tigers countered with strong bench production, outscoring Farmington 28-13, while both teams finished with 14 assists.

Cobleskill opened the game with early energy, taking a 7-4 lead after a Tanksley three-pointer set up by Andrew Wright. The Tigers continued to attack as another Tanksley finish and a transition triple from Nabli pushed the lead to 15-8 with 14 minutes remaining in the first half. Maine–Farmington answered with a run to tie the game at 16-16, but newcomer Daniel Penubothula knocked down a three to give Cobleskill a brief edge. The Beavers took their first lead midway through the half and followed with an 8-0 spurt to create separation. Ford answered with five straight points to cut the deficit, but Farmington closed the half on a strong note, taking a 45-37 lead into the break.

The Tigers opened the second half looking to close the gap, as a Tanksley layup made it 47-41, but Maine–Farmington responded with a run to stretch the lead to 57-41. Cobleskill refused to fold, using a Tanksley three to spark a push that brought the Tigers within 62-55 with 11 minutes to play. After another Farmington surge, Rhode kept Cobleskill within striking distance with a jumper to make it 71–63, then followed with another bucket to cut it to 75-69 with four minutes remaining.

Cobleskill continued to chip away, as a Nabli three and a Rhode free throw trimmed the deficit to 77-73 with under three minutes left. Rhode's hustle play in the final seconds made it a one-possession game at 83-80, but Maine–Farmington sealed the contest at the free-throw line to close out the 86-80 win.

Up Next:
The Fighting Tigers return to action on Saturday, January 21, traveling to SUNY Delhi for a 1:00 p.m. North Atlantic Conference matchup.