DELHI, N.Y. (December 4, 2021) – The SUNY Delhi men's basketball captured a 95-76 win over SUNY Cobleskill Saturday to establish a 1-0 NAC record to begin conference play. Freshman and reigning NAC Rookie of the Week Lester McCarthy rattled in an astounding 25 points with seven threes, including 17 markers with four triples in the opening half, to lead six Broncos who scored in double digits to improve to 5-3 overall.

Coming off a top performance Thursday in an upset of Russell Sage, SUNY Cobleskill's success carried over to the beginning of Saturday's league showdown, opening up as big as a 38-26 lead with two-and-a-half minutes to play. McCarthy, who had just three points up until that point shooting 1-of-5 from behind the arc, caught fire by making four consecutive triples and a pair of free throws to single-handedly thrust Delhi on a 14-4 run to close out the half down by just two at 42-40.

The Broncos overtook the second half, outscoring the Fighting Tigers 55-34 in the second frame backed by a 47.4 field goal percentage (18-of-38) and making five threes, while Cobleskill stood relatively silent with just 12 field goals made and no triples. Ahead 63-61 with 13:14 remaining, SUNY Delhi broke out with a commanding 22-4 run over nearly the next seven minutes. Although no lead is ever safe, Mavenson Therneus' baseline drive for a highlight dunk with 2:13 to play to go up 89-74 all but assured the home crowd that a win was imminent. At game's end, the biggest disparity arguably was from the 3-point line, where the Broncos made 15 triples to the Fighting Tigers' four, a 33-point swing.  

McCarthy finished 8-of-14 shooting and a perfect 2-for-2 on his lone trip to the line, while adding four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Norman Wilson was next on the scoring line for Delhi with 16 points with six rebounds and six assists, as Isiah Barnes charted a double-double with 15 points and ten boards, making 2-of-3 threes and 7-of-8 free throws. Erhunosere Uwuigbe came off the bench to deliver 14 points with four boards, as Therneus and Pablo Quinones each totaled ten points and eight boards.

Saturday's matchup marked the first time SUNY Delhi and SUNY Cobleskill squared off as conferences foes since their junior college days back in 2007-08. The two have met up four times total in their modern NCAA Division III era, with the Broncos winning all four.

Delhi outrebounded Cobleskill by a modest 45-40 advantage and edged the guests in field goal percentage 44.3 percent (31-of-70) to 43.8 percent (28-of-64). The orange and black did command the points in the paint game, leading 42-18, which the green and gold countered with a 23-10 lead in points off turnovers from Cobleskill's 18 turnovers. The Bronco also led, 29-14 in bench points.

The victory puts SUNY Delhi in great position entering next week. They open the fray with a road game at Russell Sage Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. before jumping back into NAC West play with a weekend home stretch squaring off against Northern Vermont Johnson on Friday at 5:30 p.m., followed by SUNY Canton Saturday at 1:00 p.m.