MARCY, N.Y. – The SUNYIT Men's Basketball Team (2-2, 1-1 NEAC) pulled within two with just under 3 minutes to play on Thursday night, but were able to get no closer as the Union College Dutchmen pulled away for a 91-85 victory at the Campus Center Gymnasium.
Down 80-71 late in the second half, SUNYIT point guard Maverick Hodge (Bronx, N.Y. / Samuel Gompers) scored the next 9 points for the Wildcats, culminating in a pair of made free throws to cut the lead to 82-80. On the next possession for the Dutchmen, however, Deshon Burgess would drive the lane and draw the fifth foul on Wildcat forward Kaleel Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y. / Syr. Acad. of Science). Burgess sank both free throws to put the Dutchmen up 84-80, and from there the visitors were able to salt the game away from the line.
Union finished 27-of-33 from the line for the game, an 82% clip. The Wildcats didn't do too badly either, knocking down 19-of-25, and in fact both teams shot well from the floor, with the Dutchmen hitting on 50% of their FG's (45% from 3-pt range) and SUNYIT netting 52% of their attempts (43% from 3-pt range).
Leading all scorers on the night was SUNYIT guard Alexander Drake (West Sand Lake, N.Y. / Lansingburgh). Drake totaled 27 points on 9-of-17 from the floor, including a number of acrobatic layups in the second half.
Similarly, Hodge came alive in the final 20 minutes for SUNYIT, scoring 20 of his 24 points in the second half, and even finishing the game with a team-high 8 rebounds.
On the other side of the ball, the Dutchmen shared the wealth. A total of 6 Union players scored in double-figures, led by Terell Winney, who scored all 20 of his team-leading points in the second half. Leading the Dutchmen on the glass was Ryan Whelpley, who recorded the game's only double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Whelpley was also the beneficiary of a devastating assist late in the game by Zachary Bouton. Down 84-80 with less than two minutes to go, the Wildcats appeared to have executed a crucial defensive stand, as Bouton was out well beyond the three-point arc with just 5 seconds showing on the shot clock. At that moment, however, Bouton whipped a one-arm pass to the baseline to find a wide-open Whelpley, whose layup put Union up 86-80 with just 1:27 to go in the game.
SUNYIT showed tremendous resolve in front of a great home crowd that came out to support the Wildcats in their final home game before the new year; after trailing at the half 36-29 and shooting just 35% from the field, SUNYIT exploded offensively in the second half with a field-goal rate of 66%. Unfortunately for the home team, the Dutchmen were even hotter, connecting on 71% of their attempts in the final period.
SUNYIT will be on the road next for a Saturday match up at NEAC rival Keuka College. Game time is slated for 1:00 pm.
