Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Buffalo, NY - Cheyney men's basketball closed out the season over the weekend with a pair of losses in Western, NY. The Wolves lost 77-61 on Friday afternoon in Rochester, NY to the Bobcats of Bryant and Stratton College of Rochester, NY, and on Sunday Cheyney fell to Bryant and Stratton Buffalo by the score of 96-78 inside the Buffalo States Sports Arena on Senior Day for the Bobcats.

On Friday afternoon, Cheyney only trailed by four points at the half 32-28 but were outscored 45-33 in the second 20 minutes to lose the contest 77-61.

Sophomore Kian Nixon (Upper Marlboro, MD/Feather River CC) led the Wolves with 31 points, classmate Jabril Baxter (Philadelphia, PA,/Academy at Palumbo HS) added 14 points both players made three, three-pointers in the game and went a combined 13 of 13 from free-throw line.

The statistics received only accounted for points and fouls.

On Sunday afternoon, the Wolves went to Buffalo, NY for a rematch of the January 22 match-up with Bryant and Stratton Buffalo. In the first contest Cheyney was able to keep a lead early into the second half, before succumbing to the Buffalo depth and pressure to ultimately fall 74-56.

All four Cheyney sophomore starters reached double figures in scoring led by Nathan Rosario, playing in his last game at Cheyney, who scored a career-high 25 points connecting on 14-16 free-throw attempts, Nixon registered his seventh double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds, Baxter also took advantage of the charity stripe with a-9-11 performance as part of a career-best 18 points and Nathan Pettus Jr (Philadelphia, PA/ Hill Freedman World Academy HS) added 12 points and was second on the team with seven rebounds and equaled Rosario with a team-best four assists.

The Bobcats (16-7), who will host the Vaden Conference playoffs on the weekend, never trailed on Sunday and used a 23-0 bench advantage and had all five starters reach double figures.

After a three-pointer by Buffalo opened the scoring, a Rosario layup put the Wolves on the board. A Bobcats dunk was followed by a three-point shot from Baxter and the game was tied for the only time 5-5 with 17:47 to play in the first half. The Bobcats scored to go ahead, and the Wolves were never able to tie or take the lead in the game.

The first half did not feature a quick decisive run, but a slow methodical building of a lead for the Bobcats. Cheyney was able to keep it close and only trailed by five points 25-20 at the 10 minute mark, following a three-point play  by Pettus jr.

Rosario would keep the Wolves within shouting distance by scoring the next eight Cheyney points over a 7 minute and 20 second span, while making all six of his free-throw attempts. Nixon then scored on a putback with 2:39 to play, to pull the Wolves within eight at 39-30. The Bobcats closed the first 20 minutes with an 8-3 run, as freshman Dut Kuol  (Aweil, South Sudan/ Olympus Prep HS)scored all the Cheyney points, to take a 37-34 lead to the half.

Rosario with a 7-8 showing from the line led all scorers with 13 first half points.

Kuol,off a pass from Pettus Jr. opened the second half scoring, but Buffalo used a 9-0 burst to push the lead over 20 at 56-35 and the teams traded baskets the rest of the way with Cheyney getting no closer than a 16-point deficit 82-66.

Rosario once again went 7-8 from the line and scored 12 second half points, Nixon scored 13 in the second stanza and Baxter also scored 13 points keyed by making 7-9 free-throws and scored the final basket of the season on a jumper with eight seconds to play.