EXPRESS BATTLE BACK FOR THIRD STRAIGHT VICTORY

(Cobleskill, N.Y.)─ The Wells College men's basketball team battled back from a 12 point first half deficit to defeat the first place SUNY Cobleskill Fighting Tigers 79-67 in North Eastern Athletic Conference action Tuesday evening in Cobleskill, N.Y. The Express have now won three straight and improve 6-9 (6-3 NEAC), while the Fighting Tigers fall to 6-8 (6-2 NEAC).
 
For the second straight game the Express had a total of four players in double-figures. Terry Harrison finished with a career high 30 points and 14 rebounds. NEAC Player of the Week Mabior Mayen added 18 points and 11 rebounds. Benito Perez chipped in with 13 points and five rebounds, while Andre Sawyers notched Wells' third double-double of the game with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
 
The Fighting Tigers were paced by Damon Franklin with 24 points and nine rebounds while Scott Haneef chipped in with 17 points.
 
The Express shot 22 percent in the first half but were hot the rest of the way, shooting 62 percent over the second half and overtime frame. Cobleskill finished 35 percent from the floor but showed little inside presence, attempting just five free throws the entire game, while being outrebounded 55-40.
 
The Fighting Tigers came out on all cylinders, opening with a 12-2 run, leading by as many as 19 points in the first half as they would cruise into the break with a commanding 35-23 lead.
 
The Express refused to lie down in the second half, jumpers by Mayen and Perez and two lay-ups by Harrison trimmed the lead to seven just four minutes into the half. Wells continued to roll as two free throws by Mayen tied the game, 43-43, with 11:30 to play. Wells looked to have the game in hand, leading by seven (63-56) with 49-seconds to play but the Fighting Tigers hit three straight 3-pointers, including one with 10 seconds remaining, while the Express would go just of 3 of 6 from the charity stripe as regulation ended deadlocked, 65-65.
 
It was all Express in the overtime as the Fighting Tigers finished 1 of 6, while being outscored 14-2 as Wells completed the comeback victory. 

The Express return back home on Thursday to take on non-conference opponent Alfred University at 7 p.m. in Aurora.