Cold-shooting SBU loses to Cornell

Stony Brook didn't have to go north to get cold. The Seawolves' shooting already was chilly.

Their offensive woes continued in a 60-52 loss at Cornell Saturday. With 12 points, Bryan Dougher was the only member of the Seawolves in double figures. Stony Brook, which is tied for 334th in the nation in field-goal percentage (out of 346 teams), shot 34.8 percent.

"It's a combination of a lot of things," coach Steve Pikiell said. "We've got to get easier shots for our guys in and around the paint."

Things clearly aren't clicking from the outside. Stony Brook (6-8) made only 2 of 13 three-point attempts and Dougher, who had made at least one three-pointer in 24 straight games, misfired on both of his attempts.

Dave Coley scored nine points off the bench, including two free throws with 7:55 to play that brought Stony Brook within striking distance at 43-39. But a 6-0 run gave Cornell a 49-39 lead, matching its largest of the game.

Backup point guard Anthony Jackson was the latest to get stung by the injury bug, hurting a shoulder late in the game.

"What's been frustrating is all the injuries," Pikiell said. "Just when we're trying to get our rotation and guys comfortable, we're having to deal with some obstacles."

Even when Jackson was available, he shot 1-for-8 from the field and 1-for-3 from the line.

"There's not just one easy solution," Pikiell said of the team's shooting. "A lot of guys have to chip in. Give Cornell a lot of credit."

The Big Red (4-10), the darling of last year's NCAA Tournament in a run to the Sweet 16, was led by a career-high 29 points from junior Chris Wroblewski.

After a seven-hour bus ride through snow Friday, the Seawolves will remain in the Southern Tier for Monday's game against America East rival Binghamton. Jackson, who will see a doctor Sunday, is unlikely to be available as Stony Brook looks to avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season.

Said Pikiell: "The good part for our guys is that they've got to forget about [Saturday] real quickly. Binghamton is now the most important game on the schedule."