ALBANY, N.Y. – The College of Saint Rose held a double-digit lead early in the second half only to fall 89-85 this evening to Roberts Wesleyan in non-conference action inside the Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium.
Both squads shot well as the Golden Knights (3-9) knocked down a season-high 57.6 percent (34-for-59) of their chances, while the Redhawks canned 57.4 percent (31-for-54) of their opportunities and outscored Saint Rose 18-10 from the foul line.
Â
The Golden Knights led by as many as 12 with 2:01 left in the first half when senior guard
Michael Wearne knocked down a 3-pointer and were still up 10, 54-44, with 18:38 remaining after freshman guard
Cartier Bowman converted an alleyoop off a Wearne feed.
Â
However, Roberts Wesleyan (3-10) responded with a 20-9 run throughout a six-minute span to take its first lead, 64-63, since the game's opening five minutes. It remained a one or two possession game the rest of the way.
Â
Sophomore forward
Sekou Sylla put back his own rebound to keep Saint Rose within a point, 83-82, with 1:30 to go. Freshman guard Amari Lee then converted both ends of a one-and-one and the Golden Knights came up empty on their next two possessions, before junior guard Reggie Clark canned a pair from the stripe to boost the Redhawks lead to a secure five points with 22 ticks left.
Â
Sylla recorded his tenth "double-double" of the year to lead Saint Rose. Sylla finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while freshman forward
Josh McGettigan tossed in 18 points. Bowman and junior guard
Adam Anderson scored 15 and 11 respectively, while Wearne wound up with six points and tied his career-best with seven assists.
Â
Clark scored 25 and junior guard Shane Fanning had 19 to pace the Redhawks.
Â
Going forward, both squads are off until the New Year due to the NCAA Division II mandated break. Saint Rose returns home Thursday, January 2 for a 1:00 pm "non-conference" tilt versus Bentley. Meanwhile, Roberts Wesleyan has a 3:30 pm meeting Sunday, January 5 at Southern New Hampshire in Manchester.
Notes: Second year head coach
Mike Perno has a young team that features only one senior and a pair of juniors…The Golden Knights have now shot better than 50.0 percent from the floor on six occasions this season…Sylla is among the country's top-10 and leads the Northeast-10 Conference in rebounding (11.3)…He is third in the league in scoring (20.5) and is the only NE10 player averaging a "double-double"…He was named to the weekly honor roll Monday for the third time this season…Anderson has scored in twin-figures in five straight games.
Sign up for our E-Newsletter for the latest news by
clicking here, and for information on the Golden Knights Club,
click here. Follow us on
Twitter,
Facebook, and
Instagram.
