Men’s Basketball Downed By SUNYIT, 85-73
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wells (6-10, 5-4 NEAC) | 39 | 34 | 73 |
|
SUNY Poly (8-4, 3-3 NEAC) | 40 | 45 | 85 |
MARCY, N.Y. – Senior Jonathan Hurtado (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led his team with 15 total points en route to an 85-73 loss at the hands of the SUNY Institute of Technology on Wednesday at the Campus Center Gymnasium. With the loss, Wells falls to 6-10 overall on the season and to 5-4 in North Eastern Athletic Conference play. The win boosts the Wildcats to 8-4 and to 3-3 in league play.
In addition to Hurtado's 15 total points, junior Jordan Jean (Englewood, N.J.) ranked second in point scoring with 11 to his credit and also pulled down a team-leading eight rebounds. Junior J.J. Walton (Ocala, Fla.) assisted five Wells baskets, leading the team, while sophomore Ryan Hood (Massillon, Ohio) recorded two takeaways.
An Al Paul (Elmont, N.Y.) layup with only 5:54 expired in the first half punctuated a nine point run by the Express, elevating them to a game-high 10 point lead via a 16-6 score. Maintaining a seven point lead following a Jordan Bishop (Arlington, Texas) three-point basket with 4:59 left in the first half, the Wildcats rallied in the stanza's waning minutes to ultimately carry a one point lead, 40-39, into the locker room at the half.
The Wildcats dominated the Express in the second half of play, building a 10 point lead (51-41) with only 4:56 expired on the second half clock. From the floor, the host Wildcats shot 18-for-26 (69.2%) while the Express only converted 12-of-33 field goals (36.4%). SUNYIT eventually built up a 19 point advantage following a jump shot by Kaleel Johnson with 5:33 left in the second half to create a 77-58 lead.
Sallo Fofana racked up 20 points off of the bench for SUNYIT, shooting 6-for-9 from the floor and adding a team-leading eight foul shots. Four other players added 10-plus points, including Maverick Hodge (15), Alonzo Grainger (14), Johnson (13) and Ryan James (11). Hodge led the team with six assists and three steals.
Wells returns to action this Saturday, Jan. 25 as they host the Wildcats of Cazenovia College at 1:00 p.m. The Express boast a 10-game winning streak over the Wildcats, a program-best mark against one team.
