Monroe Falls Just Short in Heartbreaker Against SUNY Niagara

SANBORN, N.Y. – The Monroe Community College men's basketball team battled valiantly but came up just short on Saturday afternoon, falling 71-70 to SUNY Niagara in a thrilling contest at The Cave.

The Tribunes, who entered the game with a 22-5 record, faced an uphill battle early on. SUNY Niagara jumped out to an impressive 47-33 lead at halftime, fueled by an outstanding performance from Chioke Marshall, who scored 31 points, including six three-pointers.

After regrouping during halftime, the Tribunes roared back to life. Led by Alan Garcia's 15 points and Denarius McCurty's 14 points, Monroe turned up the intensity on both ends of the court. The team's defense forced turnovers, creating opportunities for fast breaks that energized their comeback.

With less than a minute left in the game, Monroe found themselves trailing by three points. Chris Judge stepped up in the clutch, hitting a critical three-pointer to narrow the gap to just one point, 71-70, putting the pressure on the Thunderwolves. However, a late Tribune foul with .9 seconds on the clock would send Jalen Duff to the line where he would sink the game-winning free throw. 

In addition to Garcia and McCurty, Omar White had a solid game with 10 points and nine rebounds, contributing to Monroe's balanced attack. 

NEXT UP: With this loss, the Tribunes will look to regroup as they prepare for the East B District Final against Raritan Valley Next Saturday at 5 PM