SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The SUNY Poly men's basketball team took down the Skidmore Thoroughbreds on Tuesday night in an overtime slugfest. The game was a tale of two halves for the Wildcats who struggled offensively in the first half but got red hot in the second to tie the game up at the end of regulation. The 'Cats kept the momentum rolling into overtime where they pulled ahead to win the game 71-63. SUNY Poly is now 5-3 this season and has won three straight.

The Wildcats fell behind by nine points in what was a sloppy first half for both teams. The Wildcats shot 23% from the field in the first and missed six three-pointers. Skidmore did not fare much better in the half, shooting just 25% from the field and missing 12 three-point shots.

The second half was a completely different story for Poly. The team shot the ball exponentially better, especially from behind the arc. In the second, the Wildcats shot 54% from the field and knocked down five of eight from 3-point range (62.5%). They also locked down on defense holding Skidmore to 32% shooting from the field and tallying four blocks and three steals in the second half. Dylan Ernst was the driving force behind the Wildcat's comeback in the second with 19 points with five three-pointers. He opened the half by scoring 14 of the Wildcat's 16 points in a 16-8 half-opening run that gave the Wildcats a 39-36 lead with 13 minutes to play. The two teams would trade blows for the remainder of the half, ultimately ending regulation tied at 55.

In overtime, the Wildcats dominated. They shot 85% and hit both of the 3-pointers that they took. They again opened the period with a big run to take a commanding eight-point lead in the first three minutes. LJ Randle and Levi Spina scored five and four points respectively in overtime to seal the win for the Wildcats. The final score was 71-63.

NOTABLE STATISTICS:

• Dylan Ernst had a career-high 24 points in the game. He knocked down six three-pointers, had six rebounds, and had a block.
• LJ Randle matched his career high with 18 points. He also pulled down eight rebounds, had two blocks, had a steal, and had a pair of assists.
• Jesse O'Dell scored 15 points, pulled down nine rebounds, dished out four assists, and had three blocks.
• Tautvydas Kupstas had 20 points for the Thoroughbreds. He also had five rebounds.
• Riley Greene and Mark Engel had 11 points each for Skidmore. Greene had a game-high seven assists.

UP NEXT:

The Wildcats will open up North Atlantic Conference (NAC) play on Friday, December 2nd against SUNY Canton. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 PM start at SUNY Poly's Campus Center Gym. The game will be broadcast live on the SUNY Poly Sports Network (SPSN). The game is the Wildcat's annual food drive game. Canned goods will be accepted at the admission table to be donated to the Utica Food Pantry.   

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SUNY Poly is New York's globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience programs at its Albany campus, 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, game design, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica campus; 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 hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.