BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Despite four players scoring in double figures, the Washington & Jefferson College men's basketball team dropped a 78-71 decision to host Buffalo State in the Championship Game of the Coles Classic in New York on Saturday. 

Sophomore forward Okikiola Agbale (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) recorded his first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard Primo Zini (Morgantown, W.Va./Trinity Christian) finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. Junior guard Cameron Seemann (Loveland, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller) tallied 11 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Jonathan DeVito(Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) rounded out the quartet of double digits scorers with 10 points in the loss.

Trailing by just one point midway through the opening half, the host Bengals used a 9-0 run to take a double-digit lead (22-12) at the 10:21 mark. W&J cut the deficit to three points (30-27) with 4:10 left in the first half. A fast break layup by Zini cut the Buffalo State edge to two just before halftime. However, a layup on the other end allowed the Bengals to take a 39-35 lead into halftime. 

A layup by Agbale and a three-point basket by junior guard Zach Queen (Jeannette, Pa./Hempfield) gave the Presidents a 40-39 less than a minute into the second half.

However, the hosts countered with a 13-6 run to pull ahead by six (52-46) with 14:13 to play. A three-point basket by junior Nicholas Campalong (Sewickley, Pa./Ambridge) brought the Presidents within a point at the 13:17 mark.

Buffalo State countered with a 17-6 run to take a 12-point advantage with 6:11 to play. The Presidents refused to quit, as they eventually trimmed the deficit to three (72-69) on a layup by Seemann with 51 seconds to play. The Presidents could get no closer, as they fell by a final tally of 78-71. 

Offensively, W&J shot 45.0 percent from the field but the Red and Black committed 18 turnovers. For their efforts, Seemann and Zini picked up All-Tournament honors at the Coles Classic. Sheldon Adams earned Tournament MVP honors with a game-high 31 points. 

W&J, now 3-1 on the season, hosts Kenyon College in a non-conference game on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.