Potsdam, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly men's basketball team turned in a commanding performance on Tuesday evening, cruising past the SUNY Potsdam Bears by a score of 83–60 to capture their second win of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SUNY Poly set the tone early with smothering defense and transition offense. Senior Anthony Rose got the Wildcats on the board with a fastbreak layup after a defensive stop. William Scanlon connected from deep to push the early lead to 7–2, and Poly's defensive pressure forced several early turnovers from the Bears.
After Potsdam briefly tied the game at 9–9, Rose steadied the Wildcats at the free throw line before Marqiis Samuels scored in the paint to make it 13–11. Scanlon added his second three-pointer of the half, and Kamryn Comstock knocked down two free throws to extend the margin.
The Wildcats kept the momentum rolling. Oumaru Hydara and Brian Bonin sparked transition chances, while Rose continued to dominate on both ends, pulling down multiple defensive boards and dishing an assist to Samuels for a fastbreak finish. Scanlon stayed hot from beyond the arc, hitting again to make it 34–23 as SUNY Poly began to pull away.
Hydara added a fastbreak layup off a steal, and Rose buried a three to punctuate a blistering first half. The Wildcats went into the locker room leading 41–25.
The Wildcats picked up right where it left off after the break. Bonin opened the half with a three-pointer, and Samuels continued to attack the rim to make it 46–25. Comstock's put-back layup stretched the lead to 48–25, and Rose added another inside finish as the Wildcats' advantage ballooned past 20 points.
Hydara and Owen Dake provided sparks off the bench—Dake's three-point play midway through the half pushed the margin to 61–34, while Hydara's slicing drives helped the Wildcats stay in control.
Late in the second half, Poly's depth shined. Luke Lowry drilled a three-pointer, Alec Bartone threw down a dunk off a Connor Fulkerson assist, and Maddox Hughey provided back-to-back tip-ins on the offensive glass.
In the closing minutes, Leighton Williams Jr. and Steven Dowdall each scored, with Dowdall knocking down a three to cap the scoring at 83–60.
"It was great to get contributions from so many different guys tonight," said head coach Rob Schoener. "It's tough to win on the road in college basketball, and we're excited to get back to work tomorrow."
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats will be back on the road for a battle with the SUNY Canton Kangaroos on Friday, November 14th. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 P.M.
