Rochester, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly men's basketball team earned a hard-fought overtime victory over the St. John Fisher Cardinals, edging them 86-85. Senior Cheickne Toure led the Wildcats with 24 points, while LaMarqus Merchant Jr. added 20. With the win, SUNY Poly extends its win streak to five games and improves its season record to 7-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The first half was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading leads throughout. SUNY Poly started strong, getting contributions from Merchant, Kamryn Comstock, and Anthony Rose. However, St. John Fisher responded with solid play from Connor Williams and Max Schneider. The Cardinals gained some momentum midway through the half, but the Wildcats stayed within striking distance with timely shots. In the final minutes, both teams fought for control, but it was St. John Fisher who held a narrow 45-41 lead at the break.

The second half saw the Cardinals extend their lead behind Williams' offensive prowess. However, the Wildcats quickly found their rhythm, fueled by key steals and fast-break points. As the pace quickened, St. John Fisher went on a scoring run to take a 9-point lead with 15 minutes remaining. SUNY Poly rallied, eventually tying the game at 62-62. The Cardinals regained a six-point lead, but with under three minutes to play, the Wildcats battled back once again, tying the game at 76-76 to force overtime.

In the overtime period, both teams fought hard for the win. Toure's clutch three-pointer gave the Wildcats a brief one-point lead, but the game remained tight. With the score knotted at 80-80, Comstock nailed another three to put SUNY Poly up by three. A subsequent three-pointer from Daimarr Miller pushed the lead to four, and after a final defensive stop, the Wildcats held on for an 86-85 victory.

"Fisher is a tough place to win, said head coach Rob Schoener. "It wasn't pretty but our guys dug in, stayed together and found a way.  I'm proud of the grit they showed tonight!"