BRYN ATHYN, PA. – The SUNY Poly men's basketball team (8-5, 4-0 NEAC) narrowly held on to their undefeated North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) record on Saturday in a thrilling back-and-forth game against the Bryn Athyn Lions (6-8, 3-2 NEAC). The game had to go into overtime to decide the winner, culminating in a last second game winning three-pointer for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats struggled out of the gate, going down 13-4 in the first seven minutes. They would find their groove late in the first, cutting the lead down to six points at the half. The Cats' shot 44 percent from the field in the half while Bryn Athyn shot an outstanding 70 percent from the field and 57 percent from three-point range.

The Cats' battled themselves back into the game in the second half, taking a six-point lead with just under eight minutes to play. Bryn Athyn brought the game within three in the closing minutes. Trailing by three with just a few ticks left on the game clock, Bryn Athyn's Rahim Washington knocked down a big three-pointer to tie the game sending it to overtime. 

In overtime, the teams fought back-and-forth ultimately tying the game up at 83 with just seconds remaining on the clock. With the pressure on, SUNY Poly's Tymeek Mackie (Rochester, N.Y.) came up with a huge offensive board and kicked it out to Redell Freeman (Rochester, N.Y.). Freeman dribbled around a defender and found an open Frank Reali (Staten Island, N.Y.) who knocked down the clutch game winning three pointer. Reali finished the game with ten points and two steals. 

Notable Stats:

• The Wildcats shot 48.5% from the field and 47.8% from three-point range in the game.
• Blake Haga (Rome, N.Y.) was lights out for the Wildcats. The senior shot 83 percent from three-point land, draining five of six. He finished with 17 points in the game.
• Kevin Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had his third double-double of the season. He scored a game high 23 points and grabbed a game high 16 rebounds.
• The Wildcats had five players score 10 points or more; Kevin Williams (23), Blake Haga (17), Redell Freeman (15), Frank Reali (10), and Tymeek Mackie (10).
• Rahim Washington had a team high 22 points for Bryn Athyn. Washington knocked down a game tying three-pointer in the second half to send the game to overtime.
• Larry Stevenson III had 20 points for Bryn Athyn. He went 4-6 from three-point range.
• The Lions shot 50.8% from the field and 44.4% from three.
• The Wildcats out rebounded the Lions 45-27 in the game.  

Up Next:

The Wildcats will wrap-up their weekend trip to Pennsylvania with a game at Penn State Berks on Sunday. The game is scheduled for a 12:00 PM tip-off.