CHEYNEY, PA – A clock issue delayed the games start of the final game inside Cope Hall, but the music played and the spectators didn't complain,and when the game finally began, Cheyney men were ready to go and jumped out to a 16-0 lead, but the visiting Bobcats of Bryant and Stratton (Syracuse), dominated the second half to come away with an 80-70 victory in the final college basketball to be played inside Alfred Cope Hall on Monday night.

Sophomore Kian Nixon (Upper Marlboro, MD/Feather River CC) had a monster game for Cheyney scoring a career-high 34 points and pulling down a career-high 16 rebounds. Classmate Jabril Baxter (Philadelphia, PA,/ Academy at Palumbo HS, ) also reached a career-best with 15 points, fellow sophomore Nathan Pettus Jr (Philadelphia, PA/Hill Freedman World Academy HS) was the third member of the team to score in double-figures with 12 points while adding a team-best four assists and grabbed seven rebounds.

Before the game,Nathan Rosario (Philadelphia, PA/ Parkway HS, ),was recognized and honored. Rosario, who will graduate in May with a business degree, despite being only two years out of high school. snatched a career-high five steals, tied a career-high with three assists, and added three rebounds while scoring seven points.

Rosario opened the scoring after grabbing a defensive rebound and going coast to coast for a layup, Nixon then connected on a putback and Pettus Jr nailed a three, just his second of the season as the packed house inside Cope Hall erupted. Nixon then scored five straight to make it 12-0, a Rosario steal and layup followed by another Nixon wing jumper put Cheyney ahead 16-0 after just five minutes of action.

The Bobcats finally cracked the score sheet with two free-throws with 13:43 to play in the first half. Syracuse began to chip away at the lead, and Nixon kept them at arm's length closing the half with 17 points and 11 rebounds, his sixth double-double of the season. The lead was trimmed to seven 31-24, but the Wolves scored the final three-points of the half to take a 34-24 lead going to the break.

Nixon shot 80% from the field (8-10), and even added two blocked shots. The Bobcats stayed close by making eight of ten free-throw attempts and grabbing 12 offensive rebounds, despite only connecting on seven of 37 shots from the field.

The second half saw a complete opposite start as the Bobcats scored the first 10 points of the half, taking advantage of four Cheyney turnovers and the game was tied at 34-34 with 17:30 remaining.
Nixon put the Wolves back ahead and following a tying layup from Syracuse, banked in a triple. The game was tied at 41-41 when the Wolves went on a quick six point run to temporarily take control at 47-41 with 13:43 to play.

The lead went to eight points 53-45 on a layup by Baxter off a back door cut and pass from Nixon, with 11:29 to play. The tied began to turn against Cheyney as the Bobcats went on a 12-2 run to take its first lead of the game 56-55 with 6:39 showing on the clock.

Two Nixon free-throws gave the Wolves the lead back, but a 13-1 run put the game away and led to the ten point 80-70 victory for the Bobcats.

When the game was over, the crowd who had shown up early and some who spent nearly six hours inside Cope Hall, didn't want to leave. Many taking pictures on the court for the final time and reliving memories of the glory days past with the 19 PSAC
Championships on the banner, the six final fours, including the 1982 women's first NCAA Championship run and the 1978 men's Division II banner hanging on the walls.

The future of the new athletic and recreation complex is to be revealed soon, but for one final night the Wolves Den rocked and Cope Hall was the place to be.

The men close out the season with a weekend trip to Western, NY, opening with a Friday evening contest at Bryant and Stratton Rochester, and finishing the season vs the Bobcats of Bryant and Stratton in Buffalo on the campus of Buffalo State University.