BRONX, N.Y.—
Kevin Marmolejos (Bayside/Lowell) paced Buffalo State with 23 points as the Bengals defeated host Lehman College in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic Championship on Wednesday evening.
THE BASICSFINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 82, Lehman – 73
LOCATION: Lehman College (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic), Bronx, N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (7-2), Lehman (9-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED- Marmolejos who finished 8 for 12, including 4 for 6 from long range led the Bengal offense.
- Jordan Glover (Buffalo/St. Joe's) added 14 points and four assists, while Lovell Smith (Buffalo/Amherst) chipped in 12 points and five boards.
- Jordan Chateau (Bayside/Lowell) finished the night with a double-double, scoring 10 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.
- Lehman jumped out to an early two-point lead in the opening minute of play and held onto that lead until a three from Glover at 15:05 put Buffalo State ahead 7-6.
- The teams played a close back and forth matchup for the remainder of the first half. Glover once again hit a three and put the Bengals up 38-36 heading into halftime.
- Despite Lehman tying the game at 40 in the opening minutes of the second half, Buffalo State managed to go on a 9-2 run to take a seven point lead at 16:28.
- A free throw from Chateau at 12:24 helped to extend Buffalo States lead to double-digits, 56-46.
- Lehman did not back down and managed to cut the Bengal lead to five, 56-51, at the nine minute mark, but Marmolejos scored eight straight points and put Buffalo State back on top with a 66-55 lead.
- Once again Lehman did not back down and was able to cut the deficit to three points, 74-71, but it was the closest the Lightning would get.
- Buffalo State sealed the win by sinking 6 of 8 free throws in the closing seconds.
- The Bengals finished the night shooting 45.6 percent from the floor, 47.1 percent from long range and 50 percent from the free throw line.
FOR THE FOES- The Bengals victory snapped Lehman's eight-game win streak.
- Chaun Miller paced Lehman with 22 points. Olando Minott and Andrew Utate added 12 and 11 points respectively. Niv Solomon recorded a team-high 15 rebounds.
- Lehman finished the night shooting 44.6 percent from the floor, 16.7 percent from long range and 60 percent from the free throw line.
NOTEWORTHY- Mike Henry (Syracuse/W. Genesee) was named the Tournament MVP.
- Marmolejos earned All-Tournament Team honors.
UP NEXTBuffalo State will return to action on Tuesday with a 7:30 p.m. SUNYAC matchup at Brockport.
