Score: SUNY Canton 85 – Elmira College 77
Records: Canton (1-0), Elmira (0-2)
Location: Max Ziel Gymnasium – Oswego, N.Y.
 
OSWEGO, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's basketball team lost a hard-fought contest to non-conference foe SUNY Canton, 85-77, in its first game of the Max Ziel Men's Basketball Tournament, hosted by SUNY Oswego, on Friday evening.

Henry Cuffee '19 led all Soaring Eagle scorers with a career-high 24 points, more than double his previous career-best of nine, to go along with five rebounds. The Bel Air, Maryland, native was very efficient with his shooting, going 10-for-14 from the field (71.4-percent). Anthony Abate '19 and Justin Porrett '19 also posted strong performances for the Purple and Gold. Abate scored a career-best 13 points and five assists, while Porrett was very close to a double-double, finishing the matchup with eight points and eight assists.

Both programs played closely throughout, with the game being as close as 78-77 in favor of the Roos with 2:30 minutes left in the contest. The differentiating factors came down to the turnover differential and the number of fouls. EC finished with 16 turnovers compared to the Kangaroos 10. While in the foul department, Elmira completed the contest with 25 compared to Canton's 15.  

The Soaring Eagles dominated the first half of the opening stanza, with Hayden Harkins '18 hitting a three-pointer to give Elmira a 13-point after the first seven minutes of play. The Roos fought back and took a 50-43 lead at the conclusion of the half.

Elmira took the lead back with 5:35 to go in the contest, with a three-pointer from Cuffee. Canton's Daniel Charlton tied the contest at 72-all with 4:27 left. Harkins gave EC the lead back with 3:34 to go using his patented three-point stroke to hit a shot from downtown.

The Roos' guard Victor Bakre hit a layup with 3:20 left to give Canton the lead back for the rest of the contest. EC would not hit another bucket in the final 2:20 of the matchup, securing the victory for Canton.

Turning Point
The Purple and Gold played a complete game, shooting 44.6-percent from the field and out-assisting the Roos 21-to-16. Elmira's biggest weakness was its three-point shooting in the second half, as the Soaring Eagles went 2-for-10 (20-percent) in the second stanza, compared to 5-for-8 (62.5-percent) in the opening half. This included some key attempts in the final minutes of the game that would have either tied the game or given the Purple and Gold the lead.  

Inside the Box Score

• Elmira went 29-for-65 from the field (44.6%).
• The Purple and Gold went 5-for-8 (62.50%) from the three-point line in the first half and 2-for-10 (20.0%) in the second.
• Canton went 30-for-62 (48.4%) from the floor.
• The rebounding totals were very close, with the Soaring Eagles holding the slight 41-to-40 edge.
• EC committed 25 fouls compared to Canton's 15.
• The Kangaroos committed 10 turnovers as Elmira committed 16.
• Elmira out-assisted the Roos 21-to-16.
• Cuffee led all Purple and Gold scorers with 24 points.
• Abate and Kyle McCreery '20 led the Soaring Eagles with six rebounds.
• Porrett led all players with a game-high eight assists.
• Canton's Sam Annorh led all players with 31 points.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira falls to 0-2 to start the 2016-17 season.
• Friday's meeting marks the first time that these two programs have met.
• Twenty-four points are the most by a Soaring Eagle since Gino Leonardi '16 scored 32 in the 2015-16 season finale.
• Cuffee's 24 points is a new career-high, more than double his previous record of nine.
• Abate also set a new career-high in points with 13, one more than his previous mark.
• Abate's five assists are also a new career-high for the second-year Soaring Eagle.
• Eight assists ties a career-high mark for Porrett.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles will challenge Maritime College in the consolation game of the Max Ziel Men's Basketball Tournament, hosted by SUNY Oswego, on Saturday, November  19th. The contest is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m.