STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The D'Youville University men's basketball team (5-14, 5-6 ECC) fell to the College of Staten Island in a narrow 76-75 defeat at the Sports & Recreation Center on Friday night.

The game opened with the Saints establishing an early lead through an 8–0 run, highlighted by a three-pointer from Dawson Matsell at 18:23, assisted by Sean Reynolds. Despite turnovers, DYU managed to maintain pressure, with Marko Milivojevic adding a dunk at 17:14. CSI briefly tied the game, but D'Youville responded with a fast-break three-pointer by Reynolds at 13:51. Matsell's back-to-back three-pointers within the final minutes helped solidify the Saints' momentum. The half concluded with D'Youville leading 36–31.

DYU began the second half with a strong dunk by Milivojevic at 19:01, extending their lead to 38–31. Despite CSI's attempts to close the gap, D'Youville maintained momentum with a crucial three-pointer by Elisha Warren at 14:46, pushing the score to 48–40. Trayton Trice further contributed by converting a layup and a free throw, giving the Saints a 42–35 advantage.

As the half progressed, D'Youville capitalized on key scoring opportunities, including a fast-break three-pointer by Reynolds at 10:17, widening the lead to 57–50. DYU's defensive efforts included blocks from Milivojevic, which kept CSI at bay. However, CSI rallied late in the half, tying the game at 72 with free throws by Mitchell Wiggan at 2:33.

In a tense final minute, D'Youville regained a narrow lead with a free throw by Maxence Massadila at 1:20, making it 75–74. However, CSI edged ahead with two free throws by JJ Chestnut at 0:07, sealing a 76–75 victory as time expired. The game ended with the Dolphins on top, and the final score was 76–75.

Reynolds scored 15 points, connecting on five three-pointers. Matsell added 14 points, also hitting four three-pointers and collecting five rebounds. Trice recorded a game-high 14 rebounds and scored 13 points. Massadila contributed with eight assists and added eight points.

Looking ahead, the Saints will travel to Washington, D.C., for a matchup against the University of the District of Columbia. The game is set for Sunday, Feb. 8 at 3:30 p.m.