Batavia, NY – The #7 Genesee Community College Cougars (18-7 overall, 15-4 in-region, 11-0 in-conference) hosted the #6 Mohawk Valley Hawks (20-2 overall, 16-2 in-region, 10-2 in-conference) in a heavyweight clash on Sunday. The Hawks would take an 84-77 victory, handing the Cougars their second loss of the weekend. 

The first half was a back and forth affair to start. The teams would see seven lead changes over the first eight minutes of play. However, Mohawk would break through, opening up a 14-point lead to end the half. Genesee would shoot just 34% from the field in the first, lead by freshmen Tyler Smith and Richard Martelly. 

The Cougars would be playing catch-up during the second half. Their offense opened up, shooting 40% from the field in the second half, however the 14-point deficit would prove too much to overcome. Over the course of the game, Mohawk shot 47.7% from the field, going blow for blow with anything the Cougars threw at them. A frantic final minute of the game would see Genesee score eight points, cutting a 13-point deficit down to as close as six, before the clock ran out on Genesee.

Martelly would end the day with 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Smith would finish with 12 points, four rebounds, a steal and a block. Sophomore Pape Tunkara added 13 points

The Cougars head on the road for their next two games. On Wednesday, February 6th, Genesee will visit Tompkins Cortland for a 6PM tip. Following that, the team will head to Cayuga on Sunday, making up the game originally scheduled for January 25th. Genesee will then end the regular season on Wednesday, February 15th at home against Jefferson.