Bobcats Tame Huskies at Home

Paul Smiths, NY ~ The Paul Smith's College men's basketball team earned a hard-fought victory at home on Wednesday night as they defeated Word of Life Bible Institute (WOLBI) 86-79.

The important Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) win places the Bobcats firmly in fourth place as they head into the remaining four games.  They are currently 7-5 in the conference and 7-14 overall, showcasing their high strength of schedule against non-YSCC teams.

Wednesday night's game saw four players reach double digit points as the team spread the offense around with a balanced attack.  Yashiro Hurst Jr. (Muncy, IN) led all players with 25 points while adding five assists, four rebounds, and four steals.  The first-year point guard is among the top-5 players in the YSCC in multiple stat categories including points per game (17.9), assists (106), and steals (39).

"We're feeling good in the YSCC right now," commented Hurst.  "We've been putting in the work every day, trusting each other more, and you can see the growth from where we started to now.  We know there's still things we can clean up, but we're confident going into the end of the season because we believe in our preparation and our team," he added.

Also contributing to the offense were Talon Brooks (St. Petersburg, FL) with 14 points, Lamarcus Preston (Atlanta, GA) with 12 points, and O'neil Mason (Orlando, FL) with 10 points off the bench.  Preston has been a major addition to the team this semester, coming from Minnesota North College at Itasca where he played for the NJCAA Vikings for the last two seasons.

Preston remarked that "Coming in halfway through the season had me a bit worried because of learning a new program and its system, but I can personally say I've adjusted well.  I'm truly blessed to be a part of this program, from my coaches and teammates to the entire staff here," said Preston.

The Bobcat faithful, including the family, friends, and fans in attendance, made their presence known during the game at the Saunders Gymnasium.  That home court advantage seemed to have a positive impact on the outcome, but it was the hard work of the players that ultimately led the team to victory.

"One big difference I've noticed from my previous school to PSC is the environment.  The fans here are different in the best way, I enjoy our media team, and hearing my name called before every game is special.  Overall, I'm truly grateful for the opportunity I have," added Preston.

The Bobcats did a good job against the Huskies defensively, limiting the YSCC's leading scorer (Xander Eason) to 23 points.  The first-year guard from Lino Lakes, MN played his high school ball at Trinity Christian Academy in Florida and has brought an offensive surge to the Huskies this season as he averages almost 22 points per game.   

"We were able to pick up another key conference win tonight against a team that has the league's leading scorer on it," said Bobcat head coach Tim Lamay.  "I thought we did a nice job limiting him to tough shots and winning the rebounding battle on both ends of the floor.  WOLBI plays a tough style of basketball and I was happy with the way that we responded to that, successfully taking care of winning details down the stretch to hold them off."

Up next for the Bobcats is Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.  They host the Panthers on Sunday, January 25th at 3pm at the Saunders Gym.

You can follow the men's basketball team on Instagram at @psc_mensbball or follow the general athletics account at @smitty_nation for schedules, scores, highlights, and more!

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At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. As the only four-year institution of higher education located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith's provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business or and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences, and natural resources. We can draw on industries and resources available in our backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive, and adventurous individuals collectively provides experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond, and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at www.paulsmiths.edu.