Waterville, ME: The SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team battled in a game with a postseason feel, but couldn't hang on to its first-half advantage as the Fighting Tigers fell 79-73 to Thomas College in North Atlantic Conference action on Friday night.

Cobleskill was led by a standout performance from Cameron Rhode (Elmira, NY), who posted a game-high 21 points to go with 10 rebounds, four assists, and a block to record a double-double. Marquay Tanksley (Cohoes, NY) turned in another strong all-around effort, notching his third double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds, adding three assists and a block. Tanksley was red-hot from beyond the arc, knocking down a season-high four triples while shooting 7-of-10 from the field.

Conor Holland (Marathon, NY) continued his strong stretch of play with 12 points, four rebounds, and two assists, while Daniel Penubothula (Valley Stream, NY) provided a boost with six points and four rebounds. Emilio Nabli (Brooklyn, NY) helped keep the offense moving with five points and a team-high five assists.

Cobleskill shot 39.7 percent from the floor, 26.7 percent from three, and 77.8 percent from the free-throw line. Thomas finished at 47.8 percent shooting, 34.8 percent from three, and 53.8 percent at the stripe. The Tigers narrowly won the rebounding battle, 43-42, including a 12-8 edge on the offensive glass. Cobleskill's defense forced 12 turnovers and turned them into 19 points, adding six steals and three blocks. Despite the intensity throughout, the contest featured just one lead change, which came with under eight minutes remaining.

Cobleskill set the tone early, jumping out to a 7-2 lead after Holland drilled a three-pointer off a Rhode assist. The Tigers continued to attack in transition and in the halfcourt, building a 12-6 lead following a Penubothula layup. Another bucket from Penubothula pushed the advantage to double digits at 19-9 midway through the half.

The Tigers stretched their lead to its largest margin at 25-11 after a pair of Nabli free throws. Moments later, Nabli came up with a steal that led to a Tanksley fastbreak finish to keep Cobleskill comfortably in front. Cobleskill capped a 7-0 spurt with a Holland layup to take a 36-22 lead, but Thomas closed the half with a run of its own as the Tigers carried a 38-29 advantage into the break.

Cobleskill maintained control early in the second half, with Holland knocking down a jumper to make it 46-35. Thomas responded with five straight points to cut into the deficit and then continued to chip away as Cobleskill went cold offensively. The Terriers eventually made it a one-possession game at 53-52 with 12 minutes remaining.

Tanksley answered the call with five straight points, finishing through contact before burying a three to push the Tigers back in front 58-52. However, Thomas continued to apply pressure and tied the game at 58-58 with 8:26 left. The Terriers then grabbed their first lead of the night on a three-pointer, taking a 61-58 advantage with 7:37 to play.

Thomas used the momentum and home-court energy to create separation, extending its lead to 69-61 after a 6-0 run. Cobleskill continued to fight down the stretch, and Rhode converted a layup to make it a one-possession game at 73-70 with under a minute remaining. The Tigers had chances late, but Thomas was able to close the door at the free-throw line to secure the 79-73 win.

Up Next:
The Fighting Tigers wrap up the regular season tomorrow as they travel to Lesley University for a 1:00 p.m. tip-off. Cobleskill has already clinched a spot in the North Atlantic Conference playoffs.