Brockport, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly men's basketball team came up just one point shy in a thrilling 81-80 loss to the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles. LaMarqus Merchant Jr. led the Wildcats with an all-around performance, recording 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. The loss drops SUNY Poly to 7-6 on the season and 2-2 in conference play.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Wildcats came out strong, quickly establishing an early 10-4 lead with three-pointers from Daimarr Miller and LaMarqus Merchant Jr. However, Brockport responded with a run fueled by defensive stops, eventually building a 13-point lead before halftime. Despite the deficit, SUNY Poly continued to battle, with Cheickne Toure and Anthony Rose chipping in crucial baskets. The Golden Eagles held a 38-25 advantage at the break.

Trailing by 13 to start the second half, the Wildcats mounted an impressive comeback. Anthony Rose and Cheickne Toure played pivotal roles, sparking a long scoring run to tie the game at 53-53 with less than 10 minutes remaining. From that point on, the two teams exchanged baskets, with neither side being able to create separation

With under a minute remaining, Brockport managed a quick 5-point swing, which included a clutch three-pointer, to take a 70-65 lead. The Wildcats didn't back down, responding with clutch shots of their own to keep the game within one possession. Despite a valiant effort, including a last-second three-pointer from Toure, the Golden Eagles held on to secure the narrow 81-80 victory.

"It's a disappointing loss tonight," said head coach Rob Schoener. "You can't spot good teams a big lead in their own gym. I'm proud of how we competed in the second half, but we have to get that effort and focus for 40 minutes."