NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Oneonta men's basketball team fell in an 80-64 decision to No. 9 NYU in the Holiday Tournament Championship game on Saturday afternoon. The Violets (10-1) jumped to a 40-29 halftime lead as the Red Dragons (3-6) struggled to shoot well from the field. 

"I thought we played well for 30 minutes tonight," said head coach Cameron Conover. "NYU is great and unfortunately we came out flat in the second half and they took advantage with a big run. We fought back, but it was a little too late."

Oneonta took a 4-0 lead following baskets from senior Graham Wooden (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) and junior PJ Laidley (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Pembroke Pines Charter). A jump shot by sophomore Elijah Castillo (Bronx, NY/St. Raymonds) put the Red Dragons ahead 6-2 before NYU rattled off a 7-0 run to take a three-point lead. Wooden scored inside off a senior Ryan Teaney (Schenectady, NY/Guilderland) feed to regain the advantage, but another 7-0 span with five points from Michael Savarino pushed the Violets ahead 16-8 at 11:46. Freshman Daniel Penubothula (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream Central) scored on the fast break, and then sophomore Javen Flowers-Smith (Atlanta, GA/Pembroke Pines Charter) drained a triple at 9:55 to cut the lead to 16-14. NYU's Zay Freeney responded with a three-pointer and then converted a fast-break jumper to continue to extend the Violets' lead.  

Junior Caleb Brown (Brooklyn, NY/Uncommon Charter) scored four consecutive points to make it 21-18 before three-straight NYU triples pushed the lead to 12 points. 

Wooden hit a trey at 5:46, and Castillo followed with a mid-range jumper. NYU ended the half on an 8-2 run to hold a double-digit lead at the break. 

Oneonta could not bring the game within single digits in the second half, and a 13-2 span built the NYU lead to 57-22. Freshman Mohammad Sylla (Bronx, NY/Darrow) netted a fast break triple at 10:29 to cut the lead to 17 points, but again NYU responded with a three from Cinque Stephens. 

The closest Oneonta could get was 12 points as the Violets secured the win. 

Wooden led the team with 13 points with four assists, while Laidley added 10 points and eight boards. Castillo scored nine with a team-high five assists and a block. Brown had six points and eight rebounds. 

NYU had four players in double-digits, with Spencer Freedman scoring 18 points with nine assists and five rebounds. Freeney scored 15, while Savarino and Stephens each had 14. 

"This will be a big week of practice as we head back to conference play in January."

The Red Dragons return to SUNYAC play when they travel to face New Paltz on Sat. Jan. 6 at 4 p.m.