Batten University Defeats St. John Fisher 88-77 in Tip-Off Tournament

Batten University Defeats St. John Fisher 88-77 in Tip-Off Tournament

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St. John Fisher Opens Season with 88-77 Loss to Batten University

The St. John Fisher University Cardinals began their 2026-27 men’s basketball campaign with a challenging road defeat on Saturday, falling 88-77 to Batten University. The matchup, hosted at TowneBank Arena as part of the TowneBank Tip-Off Tournament in Virginia Beach, saw the Cardinals struggle to contain a second-half surge from the Marlins.

According to official reporting from St. John Fisher University Athletics, the Cardinals initially controlled the tempo, establishing a 13-point lead more than 10 minutes into the first half. St. John Fisher jumped out to a 12-2 start in the first four minutes, fueled by early contributions from Jordan Cain, Jonathan McCaffrey, Christian Amica, Jack Janes, and Alex Hayes. By the time the lead reached its peak at 23-10, it appeared the Cardinals were set to dictate the pace of the tournament opener.

The Turning Point in Virginia Beach

The momentum shifted decisively before the halftime whistle. Batten University responded with a 21-5 run to pull ahead 31-28, capitalizing on a stretch where Malcolm Velmar scored 10 of his game-high 17 points. While the Cardinals briefly regained a 35-34 lead following a three-pointer from Carson Kwiatkowski with 15 seconds remaining in the half, a last-second layup by Batten’s Brayden Thorne sent the Marlins into the locker room with a 36-35 advantage.

The second half proved to be the deciding factor. Batten opened the period with a 20-6 run, effectively distancing themselves from the Cardinals and pushing their lead to as many as 15 points. The Marlins’ offensive efficiency was stark; they shot 63.6% from the field in the final 20 minutes and converted 20 free throws to maintain their double-digit cushion.

Statistical Disparities at the Charity Stripe

The final box score highlights a significant disparity in foul-line production that hampered the Cardinals’ efforts. Batten outscored St. John Fisher by 20 points from the free-throw line, connecting on 33-of-52 attempts compared to the Cardinals’ 13-of-24. Despite the loss, St. John Fisher demonstrated effectiveness inside, outscoring the Marlins 48-30 in the paint and shooting 55.6% overall from the field.

Individual performances provided bright spots for the Cardinals:

  • Mekhi Gidney: 22 points, shooting 9-of-14 from the field and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.
  • Jordan Cain: 14 points, while adding three assists and three steals.
  • Tykie Jones: 15 points and nine rebounds.
  • Maximus Michalski: Nine points and six rebounds.

For Gidney, the 22-point performance stands as the second-highest output of his collegiate career, falling just one point shy of the 23 points he recorded against Brockport during the previous season.

Looking Toward the Consolation Game

The Cardinals are slated to return to the court quickly, facing Washington and Lee University at 12:00 PM on Sunday. This matchup serves as the consolation game for the TowneBank Tip-Off Tournament. With the season now underway, the team will look to adjust their defensive rotations and tighten their performance at the free-throw line to bounce back in their second outing of the weekend.

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