Boston, M.A. – The SUNY Poly men's basketball team dropped their season opener to Endicott College, falling 96-88 in a hard-fought contest. Senior guard Cheickne Toure led the Wildcats with a team-high 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while newcomer LaMarqus Merchant Jr. posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists. The Wildcats will look to rebound as they face Emmanuel College on November 16th.

How It Happened:

SUNY Poly came out strong in the first half, shooting 53 percent from the field and an impressive 77 percent (10-13) from beyond the arc. Toure's scoring prowess and a solid defensive effort from the entire Wildcat group helped SUNY Poly build a 50-39 lead heading into halftime. Endicott struggled from deep, missing all 10 of their three-point attempts, and shot 42 percent overall.

In the second half, the Gulls found their rhythm, capitalizing on multiple scoring opportunities despite their continued struggles from long range. The Gulls would mount a comeback and with under three minutes remaining, managed to take the lead. A few costly turnovers and missed opportunities late in the game allowed Endicott to close out the contest, sealing a 96-88 victory.

"Not the start we were hoping for," said men's basketball head coach Rob Schoener.  "We did a lot of good things offensively, but we have a long way to go on defense. We are excited for a chance to get back out there tomorrow and get our first win."