Box Score
WATCH: Postgame Interview (Robinson)

KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Dec. 16, 2021) - The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's basketball team saw its three-game losing streak come to an end on Thursday night with a 93-85 non-conference victory over William Paterson at the Liebertz Gymnasium. The win improves the Mariners' record to 3-5 on the year, while the Pioneers fall to 5-4.

Freshman Kody Robinson (Woodbridge, N.J.) drained a career- and game-high 26 points thanks in large part to six three-pointers, as he was one of four USMMA players to score in double-digits along with sophomore Bryce Bristow (Plano, Texas) with 19 points (on 9-of-13 shooting), senior Jack Bucher (Carlisle, Pa.) with 16 (as he was also 4-for-4 from long distance) and sophomore Josh Kauffman (East Providence, R.I.), who added 10 points.

Three Mariners brought down a team-high five rebounds apiece, Bristow, Kauffman and senior Isaiah Nix (Yorktown, Va.), while freshman Isaac Vencel (Bloomington, Ind.) contributed nine assists and seven points.

Merchant Marine raced out to a double-digit lead in the first five-plus minutes and the advantage stayed around that until the Pioneers cut it down to just four, 34-30 at 4:27. The Mariners finished the half on a 13-7 run and led by 10 at halftime, 47-37.

William Paterson fought back to tie the game up at 72-72 at 6:48 of the second after a hot start to the closing stanza. USMMA immediately scored the next eight points in just over two minutes of action and didn't see its lead fall back under four points the remainder of the night.

Six different William Paterson players scored in double-figures, with senior Nick Rodriguez leading the way with 14 points. Two Pioneers had 12 points each, including junior Michael Gilmore (on 5-of-6 shooting), who also brought down a game-high eight rebounds.

UPDATE: The Skyline Conference contest at Purchase scheduled for this Saturday, Dec. 18, has been postponed due to health and safety protocols. No make-up date has been announced as of yet. The Mariners' next game will be after Christmas, when they travel down to Newport News, Va., to take part in Christopher Newport's Captains Shootout, Dec. 29-30. Their first game will be against CNU on Wednesday, Dec. 29, beginning at 4 p.m. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on the USMMA Men's Basketball Schedule Page.

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