WASHINGTON - The search continues for the first home win of the 2021-22 season for the Gallaudet University men's basketball program. The Bison dropped a 70-51 United East Conference game to SUNY Morrisville here Saturday afternoon in the Field House. 

Gallaudet (1-11, 1-4 United East) closed out a five-game homestand, that dates back to last semester, before an empty set of bleachers as COVID protocols have banned spectators in the gym at this time. The Bison are 0-7 in the Field House this season.

SUNY Morrisville (4-8, 1-4 United East) jumped out to an early lead over GU before the Bison cut the margin to one, 12-11, at the 12:06 mark. The Mustangs responded with a mini-run to increase their lead before the Bison got to within two points, 23-21, with five minutes left before intermission. The visitors took a 34-29 lead into the locker rooms as both teams shot over 40 percent from the field.

The Bison came out in the second half and hit their first basket to cut the Mustang lead down to three, 34-31, but that would be as close as Gallaudet would get the rest of the game. SUNY Morrisville went on a 21-2 run over the next 11 minutes to put the game out of reach. 

Sophomore forward Lance Wood (Fishers, Ind.) led the Bison with 12 points and seven rebounds. Freshman forward Brandon Chung (Kahului, Hawaii) tallied eight points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Shannon Cotto (Lakewood, Ohio) scored eight of his nine points in the first half. 

SUNY Morrisville guard Tron Smith netted a game-high 17 points to go with seven rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block to pace the Mustangs. 

BISON TRACKS

• GU's leading scorer Rory Lewis (Frederick, Md.) had an off game as he was held to a season-low four points
• Wood's 12 points is a career-high mark
• Gallaudet scored 24 points in the paint
• The Bison bench added 15 points led by freshman guard Enow Otto Jr. (Waldorf, Md.), who finished with seven points and five boards
• GU shot 20.7 percent from the field in the second half and went 0-for-9 from 3-point range
• Gallaudet outrebounded Morrisville by eight, 43-35

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will hit the road on Wednesday, Jan. 19, at 5 p.m. to take on Penn St.-Abington (7-5, 1-2 United East) in a conference game.