MBB: Wildcats Finish 1-1 at Woodcliff Hotel and Spa Tournament 

Photo Credit: Cottonwood Studios (cottonwoodstudioscny.com)
Photo Credit: Cottonwood Studios (cottonwoodstudioscny.com)

Pittsford, N.Y. - The SUNY Poly men's basketball team traveled to Pittsford on Sunday to take part in the Woodcliff Hotel and Spa Tournament hosted by St. John Fisher. In the tournament which featured the Wildcats, St. John Fisher, Cortland, and Pitt.-Bradford SUNY Poly was matched up with the host Cardinals. The Wildcats lost in the first round by a score of 82-68 but answered that loss with a 22 point win over Pitt.-Bradford on day two. The Wildcats are now 4-5 this season. 

 

GAME 1: 

The first half was a tightly contested 20 minutes for the Wildcats and Cardinals. The Wildcats entered the locker room at the half holding a narrow one-point lead thanks in large part to some solid shooting. The Wildcats shot 54% from the field in the first half and knocked down four 3-pointers. In the second half, turnovers hurt the 'Cats. SUNY Poly turned the ball over 10 times in the half while only forcing five turnovers. The final turnover margin was 19-12. 

 

NOTABLES: 

  • Four Wildcats had double-digit point totals in the game. Kievonn Banks (Rochester, N.Y.) had a team-high 14 points. Caleb Canty (Hudson, N.Y.), Josh Gregory (Whitesboro, N.Y.), and LJ Randle (Rotterdam, N.Y.) each had 12 points. 

  • Kievonn Banks finished the game with 14 points, four rebounds, and a team-high three steals in his first game back with the Wildcats. 

  • Josh Gregory recorded his fifth double-double of the season. He had 12 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, a steal,  and a team-high six assists. 

  • St. John Fisher was led by a pair of 20 point performances by Sammy Robinson and Sean Williams. 

  • Matt Asenjo added 17 points for the Cardinals. 

 

GAME 2: 

In the second game of the tournament, the Wildcats answered back with a resounding 22 point win over Pitt.-Bradford. The Wildcat defense held the Panthers to just 38% shooting from the field.  The Wildcats also won the turnover battle in the game, forcing 24 turnovers while committing 16. The final score of the game was 78-56.

 

NOTABLES: 

  • Josh Gregory was just a rebound short of a double-double in the game. The junior scored 21 points, had nine rebounds, five steals, three assists, and two blocks. Gregory shot 60% from the field. 

  • LJ Randle had 13 points for the Wildcats. The freshman also had two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 29 minutes of play. 

  • Josh Ernst (Rome, N.Y.) and Jake Kulakowski (Brewerton, N.Y.) each scored 11 points in the game. 

  • Pitt.-Bradford was led by Nick Carmichael. He scored a  team-high 17 points and had seven rebounds. 

  • Alex Breindel had 12 points in the game for the Panthers. 

 

UP NEXT: 

The Wildcats will hit the road for a pair of North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) games. SUNY Poly will first match-up with Penn St.-Harrisburg on Saturday, January 11th at 1:00 PM. The second game of the weekend will see the Wildcats take on Penn St.-Abington on Sunday, January 12th at 1:00 PM. The Wildcats are 1-0 in NEAC play this season. Harrisburg and Berks are also both 1-0 in conference play.

 

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SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is New York's globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem, formed from the merger of the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and SUNY Institute of Technology. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany location and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica/Rome location. Thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world's most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and over 300 corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.