Utica, N.Y. — The SUNY Poly men's basketball team showed resilience and fight on Tuesday night, battling back from a first-half deficit, but ultimately fell to Utica College, 84–79, in a tightly contested conference matchup. With the loss, The Wildcats drop to 14-4 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The opening half was physical and fast-paced, with both teams trading baskets early in the paint. Kamryn Comstock got SUNY Poly on the board with a layup less than a minute in, and the Wildcats leaned on interior scoring from Comstock and Anthony Rose to stay within striking distance. William Scanlon provided an early spark off the perimeter, knocking down a three-pointer to give SUNY Poly a brief edge.
Utica began to gain momentum midway through the half, capitalizing on second-chance opportunities and transition looks. Despite strong defensive plays from Comstock, Rose, and Alec Bartone—including multiple blocks—SUNY Poly struggled to string together consistent offensive possessions. Utica used timely three-point shooting and aggressive drives to the basket to build separation, pushing the lead to double digits late in the half.
Rose helped stabilize the Wildcats with a pair of fastbreak layups and free throws in the final minutes, but Utica closed the half with a flurry inside to take a 42–30 lead into the locker room.
SUNY Poly came out of halftime with renewed energy. Brian Bonin drilled a three-pointer on the Wildcats' opening possession, and Rose followed with strong finishes in the paint as SUNY Poly began to chip away. Scanlon and Comstock each connected from beyond the arc during a key stretch, trimming the deficit to single digits and forcing Utica to call timeout.
The Wildcats' defense fueled the comeback. Rose, Comstock, and Oumaru Hydara generated steals that led to fastbreak opportunities, including a thunderous Rose dunk that brought SUNY Poly within three at 54–51. Moments later, Hydara finished a fastbreak layup to give the Wildcats their first lead of the second half at 55–54.
The final ten minutes turned into a back-and-forth battle. Utica answered each SUNY Poly surge with timely baskets and trips to the free-throw line, while the Wildcats continued to attack inside. Bonin, Comstock, Samuels, and Rose all contributed key scores as SUNY Poly kept the margin within one or two possessions deep into the final minute.
Down the stretch, SUNY Poly forced turnovers and converted in transition to stay alive, but Utica sealed the game at the line in the closing seconds, holding on for the 84–79 victory.
"Tough one tonight, but what a great college basketball game & environment," said head coach Rob Schoener. "We did not play a good first half and dug ourselves a hole. Proud of the grit we showed in the second half, we will learn a lot from this game."
