Potsdam, NY – Lateef Johnson Jr. scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the SUNY Canton men's basketball team earned their first road victory of the season against the Potsdam Bears Friday night.

THE BASICS

• Result: SUNY Canton 87, Potsdam 77
• Location: Jerry Welsh Gymnasium – Potsdam, NY
• Records: SUNY Canton (4-15, 3-9 SUNYAC) | Potsdam (1-17, 1-10 SUNYAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In a very evenly played first half, neither side had much of a big lead. Potsdam pull ahead 11-6 but this was their largest advantage of the half. SUNY Canton then responded with a 17-5 run and earned a 23-15 lead through the first 10 minutes. Lateef Johnson Jr. already had 11 points at this time.
• The Bears were ahead 39-35 with a couple minutes left, but fouls were an issue for the home team as they committed 12 in the first half and sent the Roos to the stripe 19 times. Edram Gbekou, Bryon Streb, and Jahdeuir Reese all scored two points to close out the half with SUNY Canton ahead 41-39.
• The second half was back and forth much of the same as the first, but the Roos got a few stops in a row and an 8-0 brought SUNY Canton to a 62-53 advantage, their largest lead of the game.
• The Bears pulled within one again, but SUNY Canton never relinquished their lead. Up by a score of 76-72 with a minute left, the Bears started fouling and the Roos not only did their work from the line but also forced a few turnovers to prevent any chance of a comeback, going on to win 87-77.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Lateef Johnson Jr. led the Roos in points (26), rebounds (11), and assists (3), while also blocking one shot and tallying five steals. He was 78.6% (11-14) from the floor, which was tied for the 5^th-best field goal percentage in a single game in SUNY Canton DIII-history (min. 10 attempts).
• Bryon Streb had 16 points and had his work cut out for himself at the free throw stripe where he finished 9-for-12. Malaki Smith scored 15 and Sean Quinn, in his first career start, set career-highs in points and rebounds with 11 and five respectively.
• Mike Hancock for the Bears scored 30 points to lead all scorers. He was 6-for-8 from behind the three-point line and grabbed nine boards and dished out six assists.
• The Roos shot 45% (25-56) while the Bears were at 38% (28-73). The biggest difference in the game was the free throws with SUNY Canton going 33-for-43 while the Bears were 9-for-16. 33 free throws are the fifth most made in a game as a team during the DIII-era.

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Roos will look to win two straight, tomorrow, January 31 at Plattsburgh with a 4 p.m. start time.  
   

Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college's career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 23 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the SUNYAC. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading.