The Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team dropped a tight road game Wednesday, falling 73-70 at Finger Lakes Community College. The Panthers drop to 2-6 overall and 0-2 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference. Finger Lakes is 6-4 overall and 1-0 in the MSAC.
The biggest lead of the game for either team was seen points, and it came in the opening minutes. Tompkins Cortland started the game by scoring the first seven points, but Finger Lakes responded with an 11-0 run and the back-and-forth tone was set. The game featured 11 lead changes, the last coming in the closing minutes. Tompkins Cortland took a 68-66 lead on a three-pointer by Omari Lane (Newburgh/Newburgh Free Academy) with just under 90 seconds to play, but Finger Lakes converted an old-fashioned three-point-play with a minute left to move ahead 69-68. The Lakers went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the closing seconds to seal the win.
Lane led the Panthers with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Devonte Henry (Brooklyn/Boys and Girls H.S.) had 12 points and Derek Brower (Queens/Half Hollow Hills West H.S.) added 10 points.
The Panthers close the semester Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College.