Kings Point, NY-
The Mount Saint Mary College Knights (5-14, 4-6 SKY) battled hard but ultimately fell 66-61 to the United States Merchant Marine Academy Mariners (8-11, 5-5 SKY) on Saturday afternoon at Kings Point, N.Y.
Jayden Figueroa led the Knights with a game-high 24 points, shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 10-for-11 from the free throw line. Connor Cyran added 11 points and 6 rebounds, while Ryan Graham chipped in 7 points and 4 rebounds.
The Mariners were paced by Bryce Bristow's 16 points, while DeMarcus Spivey and Drew Zalescik each scored 15 points. Isaac Vencel chipped in 11 points for USMMA.
The Knights got off to a slow start, trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half. However, they battled back to cut the deficit to just 33-30 at halftime.
In the second half, the game was a back-and-forth affair with neither team able to build a significant lead. With under a minute remaining, the Knights trailed by just two points, but the Mariners were able to hit some key free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for the Knights. Figueroa had a strong performance offensively, and Cyran played well on both ends of the court. The Knights also did a good job of rebounding the ball, pulling down 40 rebounds compared to 36 for the Mariners.
"We battled hard today," said Head Coach Ryan Kadlubowski. "We were down by 14 points in the first half, but we fought back to make it a close game. We just couldn't get over the hump in the end. Jayden Figueroa had a great game for us, and Connor Cyran played well on both ends of the court. We need to keep working hard."
The Knights will be back in action on Tuesday, January 30th, when they travel to take on the University of Mount Saint Vincent at 6:00 PM.
Mount Saint Mary College Leaders:
