SAN ANTONIO – The SUNY Polytechnic Men's Basketball Team (2-9) just missed coming away with a win that would undoubtedly have been a nice addition to the resume by season's end. Squaring off with tournament host Trinity University in the finale of the Trinity Invitational in San Antonio, Texas, the Wildcats were up 37-29 at the half and held a one-point advantage with just 3:16 to play in the game. It was not to be, however, as the home Tigers completed the comeback for a 65-61 win, their first of the year.
At 1-9 the Tigers don't look to be a top-quality opponent at first blush. But the program has a proud history and so far has played a brutal early season schedule, including two teams ranked in the Top-10 of the national rankings. Leading for most of the game, the Wildcats showed that at their best they can play with anyone.
If Wildcat fans are uncomfortable seeking refuge in moral victories, they have only Tiger guard A.J. Pulliam to blame. Pulliam hit two big jumpers late in the game: the first a three-pointer to give Trinity its first lead of the half with 2:32 remaining, and the second a jumper to break a 61-61 tie in the final minute. He finished with 20 points, one of the top two scorers on the night for the Tigers.
For SUNY Poly Quayshaun Mitchell (New York, N.Y. / High School for Graphic Communication & Arts) turned in the best performance of his brief Wildcat tenure thus far. Mitchell, who got his first start on Saturday, led Wildcat scorers with 17 points, including stepping outside to hit 4-of-8 three-point attempts. Ryan McCarthy (Camden, N.Y. / Camden) was also hot from deep, hitting on 4-of-9 attempts.
The Wildcats led by as many as ten late in the game but couldn't make enough shots down the stretch to secure the lead. The Tigers wound up closing the last 4:32 of the game on a 15-2 run. Maverick Hodge (Bronx, N.Y. / Samuel Gompers) had the only two for the Wildcats in that stretch, a lay-up to tie the game 61-61 with just over two minutes to go, a minute-and-a-half before Pulliam's jumper put the Tigers up for good.
Hodge had an up-and-down night, registering solid totals of 12 points and 7 assists from the point guard position but also struggling with turnovers.
SUNY Poly will have a few weeks off for Christmas and won't return to action until Wednesday, January 14th in a road game with SUNY Cobleskill.
