CLINTON, N.Y. – The SUNY Polytechnic Men's Basketball Team (0-3) was neck-and-neck with the Lycoming Warriors (3-2) through the first 20 minutes, but ultimately succumbed to the pressing defensive action of the Pennsylvania team in an 81-67 non-conference loss. 

A competitive first half ended with the Wildcats down three, 40-37. The home Lycoming Warriors came at the Wildcats with a half-court press, throwing two and sometimes three defenders at the Wildcat guards. In particular they double-teamed Wildcat point guard Maverick Hodge (Bronx, N.Y. / Samuel Gompers), who was held to just 11 points on the night after going for a career-high 33 earlier in the week at Utica.

Late in the half the Wildcats seemed to start figuring out how to take advantage of the attacking Warrior defense. Hodge scored on a pretty backdoor pass from Kaleel Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y. / Syr. Acad. of Science) to give the Wildcats a 35-32 lead with 2:50 to play. But the Warriors would close on an 8-2 run to take a lead into the locker room.

Both teams shot an identical 48.4% in the first half on 15-for-31 from the field.

While the Warriors maintained an adequate-if-not-comfortable lead for most of the second half, SUNY Poly was able to pull within five on a three-pointer by Blake Haga (Rome, N.Y. / RFA) with 3:50 to play. Haga's shot from the right wing had the benefit of a "shooter's roll" after a nice assist from Hodge, and cut the lead to 69-65.

Out of a Wildcat timeout, though, the Warriors answered with a dagger of their own. Point guard Malcolm Covington drove the left side after the Warriors had run the shot-clock down to under 10, then whipped a skip pass to the weak side that found Patrick Dougher for the senior guard's second three-pointer of the night. Back up by eight points, the Warriors were able to salt the game away at the free throw line from there.

The story of the game was turnovers. SUNY Poly committed 26 on the night, struggling throughout with the unorthodox trapping style of the Warriors. Lycoming, on the other hand, coughed up the ball just 12 times.

Ryan McCarthy (Camden, N.Y. / Camden) tied for the game-high in points, leading the Wildcats with 16 on an efficient 6-for-8 from the floor and two 3-pointers. The freshman also pulled down 6 rebounds.

Johnson was on pace for a double-double with 9 points and 7 rebounds in the first half, but was limited in the second half due to foul trouble. He finished with 12 points and 9 rebounds, leading the Wildcats in the latter category.

Covington led the Warriors with 16 points, the majority of which came at the free throw line late in the game (he finished 12-for-14 from the charity stripe).

The Wildcats will now take on SUNY-ESF tomorrow at 2:00 pm during the final day of the Hamilton Invite. The Mighty Oaks fell to St. Lawrence in an earlier matchup on Saturday.