CORTLAND, NY— Chris Thompson (Far Rockaway/Channel View) had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Buffalo State (1-2/0-1) led at halftime, but host Cortland (5-0/1-0) rallied to defeat the Bengals 78-69, in tonight's SUNYAC opener.
 
Thompson finished 10 of 15 from the floor and added a pair of blocked shots.  Senior transfer Larry Rivers (Syracuse/Fowler) was the only other Bengal scorer in double-figures with 11 points.  Roderick Epps (Uniondale/Uniondale) added eight points.
 
Buffalo State took a 33-31 advantage into the intermission, but the Red Dragons took the lead for good with just under 14 minutes remaining.  Cortland stretched its lead to 10 with a 9-0 run and never let the Bengals closer than five the rest of the way.
 
Both teams struggled from beyond the arc with Cortland hitting just 4 of 21, while the Bengals were 2 for 10.  The game was decided at the free-throw line, however, with the Red Dragons holding a 20-5 advantage from the charity stripe.  Cortland was 20 for 30, while the Bengals were just 5 of 9 at the line. 
 
Buffalo State will visit Oswego tomorrow at 2 p.m.