UTICA, NY – The SUNY Brockport men's basketball team faced a tough road test on Saturday afternoon, falling 94-64 to a hot-shooting SUNY Poly squad. Despite a more productive second half, the Golden Eagles (5-10, 1-5 E8) could not overcome a high-powered Wildcats offense that found its rhythm early and never looked back.

Opening Frame Decisive

Field goal percentages told a major part of the story in this Empire 8 clash. The Wildcats were locked in from the perimeter, shooting a blistering 72.2% (13-of-18) from behind the arc. In contrast, the Golden Eagles struggled to find their mark from deep, finishing at 27.3%. SUNY Poly was equally disciplined at the charity stripe, missing only three attempts all night to finish 19-of-22 (86.4%).

The game's opening frame proved to be the difference-maker. Brockport jumped out to an early 2-0 lead following a Bryce Marshall tip-in at the 19:41 mark, but it would be the only time the Green and Gold held the advantage. Following that basket, the Wildcats ignited a massive surge, including a 24-6 run that allowed Poly to pull away midway through the half. The Wildcats shot 59.26% from the floor in the first half while holding Brockport to just 25.93%. By the intermission, SUNY Poly had built a 56-23 lead that proved insurmountable.

Brockport showed resilience in the second half, finding more offensive flow to outscore the Wildcats 41-38 over the final 20 minutes. The Golden Eagles improved their shooting to 44.12% in the period and connected on five triples. While Brockport capitalized on second-chance opportunities and saw 42 points from their bench, the early deficit was too deep to climb out of.

Inside the Stats

Ajani Flemming anchored the second-unit production, leading the Golden Eagles with 12 points. Flemming was lethal from distance, knocking down 4-of-6 attempts from three-point range in just 14 minutes of action.

Bryce Marshall remained efficient in the paint, finishing with eight points on 4-of-7 shooting while adding four rebounds and a block.

Christian Amica provided a vital offensive lift, contributing eight points and finishing 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. He also added two steals and an assist to his stat line.

Miles Johnson facilitated the offense effectively in the second half, recording a team-high four assists to go along with five points. His playmaking was highlighted late in the second half by a perfectly placed lob pass to Cameron Pownall, who finished the play with an emphatic dunk. Pownall finished the afternoon with six points on 2-of-4 shooting, adding four rebounds and a block in 17 minutes of action.

Up Next: The Golden Eagles will look to snap their current skid and return to the win column as they head home for a conference matchup against Houghton University. Tip-off is scheduled for Friday, January 23rd, at 7:30 p.m.