Big Second Half Propels Bobcats to 107-97 Win at Clarkson

POTSDAM, NY - A big second half which featured a program-best 64 points, the Bryant & Stratton Buffalo Bobcats took a home a 107-97 road win over the Clarkson Golden Knights on Saturday afternoon.  The Bobcats picked up their second win over Clarkson in as many weeks, sweeping the season series after previously winning 86-78 back on January 16th in Buffalo.

Buffalo, which improved to 6-3 on the season, had three players score at least 20 points.  They were led by freshman Danny Turkvan who put home a career-high 23 while also securing 12 rebounds.  Sophomore Eric Waters scored 22 and also had 12 rebounds, and senior Shyquinn Dix added 20.  The Bobcats shot 54.9 percent from the floor and 46.2 percent from three.  They also shot a season-best 85 percent (17-20) from the free throw line.

The Bobcats jumped out to an early 9-3 lead but lost it quickly as the hot three-point shooting of the Golden Knights began.  Clarkson hit back-to-back treys to lead 10-9 and extended the lead to five, 18-13, before a quick 7-0 run by the Bobcats, capped by one of Turkvan's three triples gave the lead back to Buffalo 20-18.

But the Golden Knights responded with a 17-3 run, taking a commanding 35-23 lead with 7:09 left in the half.  They led by as many as 13 in the half but the Bobcats were able to shrink the deficit to six, 49-43, at the half.

To open the second half, the Bobcats came out firing.  Junior Sam Dorissaint scored on a quick layup inside the open the half before Turkvan hit on a pull-up 15-foot jump shot.  Waters then gave the lead back to the Bobcats after a layup and an ensuing free throw.  Turkvan then capped a 9-0 run to give Buffalo a 52-49 edge and force a Clarkson timeout.

The next five minutes featured four lead changes before the Bobcats began to put their foot on the gas pedal.  Senior Tyrell Mitchell gave Buffalo it's first double-digit lead of the game with 11:05 left when he converted a layup through a foul for the three-point-play.  But the home team did not go quietly, as they used a 14-2 run to take a 75-73 lead with just over seven minutes.  22 seconds after Clarkson regained the lead, Waters made a three to give the game it's final lead change.

With a four-point lead with 4:41 left, sophomore Davon Ware went on his own 9-0 run by himself with three consecutive threes to put the game out of reach and send the Bobcats back to Buffalo with a win.

Ware finished with 14 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds.  He went 4-7 from beyond the arc in 34 minutes.  Mitchell added 11 off the bench as well, also finishing with three rebounds and three assists.  The Bobcats out-rebounded the Golden Knights 25-13 in the second half and 40-32 for the game.

Clarkson finished the game with five players in double-figures and were led by Joe Lucas with 19.  They went 16-41 from three as a team.  Buffalo native Roburt Welch had six off the bench.

THE SERIES
This was the second all-time meeting between the Bobcats and Golden Knights with both coming this season.  The Bobcats lead the series 2-0.

UP NEXT
The Bobcats will play their first game in the month of February on Wednesday the 3rd when they make the short trip across town to take on Villa Maria College.  Tip is set for 7 p.m.

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