Cobleskill, NY – The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team showed grit and resilience on the road Tuesday afternoon, but a decisive first-half run by Husson University proved costly as the Tigers dropped an 85-77 North Atlantic Conference decision.
Cameron Rhode (Elmira, NY) led Cobleskill with a team-high 17 points and four rebounds, consistently attacking the rim and keeping the Tigers within reach. Senior
Chrischen Chung (Poughkeepsie, NY) continued his strong road stretch, finishing with 15 points, six assists and five rebounds while knocking down 5-of-8 shots from beyond the arc.
Conor Holland (Marathon, NY) added 14 points and four assists, and
Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) recorded his second double-double of the season with 11 points, a season-high 12 rebounds, and two assists.
Cobleskill shot an efficient 44.4 percent from the floor, edging Husson's 41.7 percent shooting, while also winning the rebounding battle 44-40 and outscoring the Eagles 40-30 in the paint. However, Husson's pressure defense forced 17 turnovers that turned into 24 points, ultimately swinging the momentum. Bench production also favored the hosts, as Husson held a 20-14 advantage.
Husson opened the game with a quick 5-0 run, but Cobleskill responded immediately. A Chung three-pointer followed by an
Andrew Wright (Berne, NY) layup tied the game at 5-5 early on. The Tigers stayed within striking distance throughout the opening half, as a layup from
MJ Ford (Staten Island, NY) made it 15-11 and another Chung triple cut the deficit to 21-18 with 7:30 remaining. Husson then caught fire, ripping off a 17-2 run to build a commanding 38-20 lead. Cobleskill steadied itself late in the half with a deep jumper from Chung and a finish from
Ryan Nadje (Harlem, NY), heading into halftime trailing 47-29.
Cobleskill continued to compete in the second half, as a Tanksley floater trimmed the margin to 56-41 early on.
Zander Poissant (East Greenbush, NY) provided a spark with an offensive rebound and putback to stop a Husson run, making it 65-49 with 10 minutes to play. The Tigers' offense found another gear, putting together an 8-2 stretch capped by a Rhode layup off a Chung assist to pull within 70-59.
Husson answered with another surge to push the lead to 82-62, but Cobleskill refused to go away. Holland fueled a 9-0 run to cut into the deficit, and the Tigers closed the game scoring the final six points, highlighted by a Tanksley dunk. Despite the late push, Cobleskill ultimately fell 85-77.
Up Next:
The Fighting Tigers return home on Saturday, January 10, hosting Lesley University for a 1:00 p.m. tip-off inside the Iorio Gymnasium.
