HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (Nov. 19, 2016)- Senior Kyle Smith (Warwick, N.Y. / Burke Catholic) posted a career-high 19 points and made four triples as the Centenary University men's basketball team had their late rally dashed by Swarthmore College, 86-80 on Saturday afternoon.

Cam Wiley finished with 19 points and went 10-for-12 from the free throw line for the Garnets who improve to 2-0 overall. Junior Rashaan Spencer (Hackettstown, N.J. / Mount Olive) totaled 20 points and six rebounds for the Cyclones who fall to 1-2 overall.

The game was a tale of two halves, as the Garnets built a 24 point lead on a hot shooting first half. Swarthmore posted a 50.0% field goal and a 49.0% three point percentage with eight made triples and a  49-27 lead at intermission.

The Cyclones turned the tables in the second half, shooting 45.5% from the field and 47.1% from behind the arc, as they nearly erased a 24 point deficit. Smith scored 10 of his 19 points, along with 14 points from Spencer and nine from both senior Paul Jones (Trenton, N.J. / Ewing) and sophomore Jake Louge (Manahawkin, N.J. / Southern Regional), as the Cyclones came all the way back to trail by just two points at 82-80 with 23 seconds remaining.  

That would be the closest the Cyclones would get as Swarthmore iced the game from the charity stripe in the final seconds.

Jones finished with 15 points and seven boards, while Logue added 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Junior Hamp Smith (Allentown, Pa. / William Allen) added five points, five rebounds and three assists as the Cyclones have now dropped their last two contests. Wiley finished with 19 points, while Zack Yonda totaled 18 points and seven rebounds for the Garnets.

Head Coach Tim Fusina and the Cyclones will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 22, hosting the Defenders of Clarks Summit University in their Colonial States Athletic Conference opener at 7:00 p.m.