A comfortable first half turned into a very uncomfortable second half as the Panthers men's basketball team saw its lead slip away to an 87-74 loss to SUNY Broome Friday. The Panthers are now 4-14 overall and 1-8 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and Broome is now 6-16 overall and 1-6 in the MSAC.

It was definitely a tale of two halves. The Panthers more or less dominated the first half, leading by as many as a dozen points. The halftime lead was 40-33, and the feel was that the Panthers were in control. That changed quickly in the second half.

Broome opened the second half with a 16-5 run, completely erasing the deficit and moving ahead 46-45 just four minutes into the second half. Over the next four possessions, the teams traded two-points baskets, leaving the Hornets ahead 50-49 with 14:50 left. The next three minutes featured a 10-0 run by the Hornets, putting the visitors ahead by double figures. The Panthers managed to get the deficit down to single digits once at 66-57, but Broome responded to push the lead to 20 with just under three minutes left. The Panthers could get no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

Four players scored in double figures for the Panthers, led by Marven Louissaint (Brooklyn/Erasmus Hall H.S.), who finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Brandan Paul (Middletown/Progress H.S.), Justin Sykes (Harlem/Lyons Community School), and Vernell Reid (Syracuse/Bishop Ludden H.S.) each scored 11 points, with Reid adding 5 assists. Devonte Henry (Brooklyn/Boys and Girls H.S.) chipped in 7 points and 9 rebounds.

Next up for the Panthers will be a home game against Corning Community College on Wednesday.