Dec. 17, 2011

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Sophomore Dave Coley (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored a career-high 17 points to lead the Stony Brook men's basketball team, but the Seawolves shot only 26.7 percent and couldn't generate enough offense to beat Rutgers, losing to the Scarlet Knights 67-58 Saturday afternoon in the Foot Locker MSG Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden.

Coley was 5-for-14 from the field and 3-for-4 from three-point range to account for his 17 points. Senior Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) added 14 points and five rebounds. Junior Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md.) recorded his second double-double of the season after scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

The Seawolves outrebounded Rutgers 40-34 and again had a great game on the offensive boards, grabbing 21 that led to 13 second chance points.

"We played good enough defense today," head coach Steve Pikiell said, "but we didn't make enough shots. Had we done what we needed to do on offense, we would have been in better shape to win the game. Moving forward, we have to get better and get ready for league play."

The game was Stony Brook's first appearance at Madison Square Garden as a Div. I program and first appearance since Jan. 22, 1995, an 81-63 win over Western Connecticut.

"It was a great experience for this program today," Pikiell said. "It was great for Stony Brook fans, alumni and staff to come together at this great arena. It's great for this school, for recruiting and for everyone involved. I want to thank the over 1,500 Stony Brook fans for coming today."

The Seawolves struggled with Rutgers' length the whole game, not getting many good looks inside. Rutgers blocked nine Seawolves shots. The inside presence forced the Seawolves outside, where they were only 7-for-24 (29.2%) from three-point range.

The first half was even until Rutgers went on an 11-0 run from the 9:48 mark to the 2:15 mark when the Seawolves finally scored on a pair of Coley free throws. Back-to-back Seawolves turnovers inside of six minutes led to an Austin Johnson jumper and a Myles Mack layup that forced a Seawolves timeout. Rutgers led 26-14 with 5:17 left.

The Seawolves found their stroke with a 12-4 run to end the first half. Dougher connected on a three-pointer at 1:14, and Rutgers turned the ball over on its next possession, leading to a junior Marcus Rouse (Upper Marlboro, Md.) three-pointer in the corner off a nice pass from Brenton. Rutgers came back with a layup, but Dougher answered with an NBA-range three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to send the Seawolves into halftime only down five, 31-26.

To open the second half, Stony Brook closed within three points on two separate occasions, but both times Rutgers answered the call. After senior Al Rapier (Chicago, Ill.) hit a pair of free throws to make it 33-30, Mack buried a three-pointer to start a 7-0 run and extend the Scarlet Knights lead back to 10, 40-30.

Stony Brook never got into an offensive rhythm. Dougher got the Seawolves within seven with another three-pointer at 13:08, but SBU then went the next five minutes without a field goal while Rutgers continued to make mid-range jumpers and layups.

Rutgers was led by Mack's 22 points. He was 7-for-8 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Rutgers shot 52.2 percent for the game.

Stony Brook will break for the holidays and return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 28 against Cornell at Pritchard Gymnasium at 7 p.m. The game will be televised live on Optimum Local Channel 118. For tickets, call (631) 632-WOLF or visit GoSeawolves.org/tickets.