CAZENOVIA, N.Y. - The SUNY Poly men's basketball team traveled to Cazenovia on Saturday afternoon to square off in a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) contest. The game was as evenly matched as it could be. The teams were tied at 39 through the first half and were within a single possession down the stretch. Cazenovia won the game 75-72 to secure the win. The Wildcats are now 6-6 this season with a 1-2 record in NAC play.

In the first half, the two teams were very evenly matched. Cazenovia had a slight edge in shooting percentage and rebounding, but SUNY Poly forced more turnovers and had more blocks and steals. The half ended 39-39. Kobe Bogart scored 20 points to pace Cazenovia. SUNY Poly shared the workload in the first with four players; Jesse O'Dell, LJ Randle, Dylan Ernst, and Josh Ernst all scoring six points.

The game came right down to the final minute of play. Trailing by one point (70-69) with 1:15 left to play, Cazenovia's Alan Willmes Jr. gave Caz a one-point lead on a made jumper. A pair of free throws by Christian Sage made it a three-point lead for Cazenovia with 19 seconds to play. SUNY Poly cut the lead to one with a made layup with just a second left on the clock and was forced to foul on the inbound to put Christian Sage on the line again. Sage knocked down both free throws to push the lead to 75-72. Poly was unable to get off a shot on the inbound pass, sealing the win for Cazenovia.

NOTABLE STATS:

• Jesse O'Dell led the Wildcats with 18 points on 8-17 shooting. He also recorded five rebounds and three assists. O'Dell now sits just 18 points away from 1,000 career points at SUNY Poly.
• Kobe Bogart had a game-high 22 points for Cazenovia. He made four three-pointers in the game and had seven rebounds.
• Mitch Kernizan scored sixteen points for the Wildcats. He shot 50% from the field, had five rebounds, and two assists.
• Alan Willmes Jr. had 17 points for Cazenovia with five rebounds, an assist, and a block.

UP NEXT:

The Wildcats will host WPI on Monday, December 19th. The game is scheduled for a 2:00 PM start at SUNY Poly's Campus Center Gym. The game will be streamed live on the SUNY Poly Sports Network
(SPSN)

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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.