CASTLETON, Vt. – The St. John Fisher University men's basketball team dropped a 69–61 decision to Vermont State University Castleton on Saturday afternoon at Glenbrook Gymnasium. Forward Maximus Michalski led the Cardinals with 14 points on 6-for-7 shooting to go with three blocks, while Jack Janes and Alex Hayes combined for 22 points off the bench as Fisher moved to 2–3 on the season.
How It Happened
Castleton used an efficient opening half to build an early advantage, shooting 14-for-24 from the field and turning 11 Fisher turnovers into points on the way to a 40–30 lead at the break. The Cardinals stayed within striking distance behind eight first-half points from Michalski.
Fisher tightened up defensively in the second half, holding Castleton to 11-for-31 shooting and outscoring the hosts 31–29 over the final 20 minutes. The Cardinals chipped away at the deficit with baskets from Michalski, Hayes and Max Schneider, trimming the margin to single digits multiple times. Each time, however, Castleton answered with a key basket or free throws to keep Fisher at arm's length, and the Cardinals could not complete the comeback in the closing minutes.
Game Notes
- Michalski finished with 14 points (6-for-7 FG), three rebounds and three blocks in 31 minutes.
- Hayes added 12 points off the bench, hitting three three-pointers in 15 minutes.
- Janes chipped in 10 points, three rebounds and two blocks, also coming off the bench.
- Schneider totaled nine points, four rebounds, six assists and a steal in a team-high 37 minutes.
- Mekhi Gidney and Andrew Violante each grabbed seven rebounds, helping Fisher to a 33–25 edge on the glass.
- The Cardinals recorded 10 steals and six blocks as a team and got 27 points from their bench.
What's Next
Fisher returns to action on Friday, November 21, opening the Mark's Crosstown Shootout against the University of Rochester. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
