FREDONIA, NY – Chris Cartwright (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton) scored 10 points straight on a key 10-2 run by Buffalo State (8-6, 4-4 SUNYAC) to help the Bengals grab the lead for good and earn a 78-61 conference victory at Fredonia (1-11, 0-8 SUNYAC) on Tuesday night.

Cartwright led Buffalo State on offense, scoring 24 points and dishing out four assists. Chris Thompson (Far Rockaway, NY/Channel View) recorded a double-double with 17 points and a team-high 10 rebounds and also had five steals. Roderick Epps (Uniondale, NY/Uniondale) added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Larry Rivers (Syracuse, NY/Fowler) tallied nine points and seven rebounds.

Over the first seven and a half minutes of play, the Bengals and the Blue Devils traded the lead back-and-forth. Fredonia took its last lead, 14-13 with 12:34 to play. Cartwright quickly gave the Bengals a one point lead with a layup and followed up with three more baskets, including a pair of threes, during the key run that gave Buffalo stat the lead it would not relinquish.

The Bengals, up 40-33 to start the second half, maintained control for the remainder of the game. Twice Fredonia managed to chip the Bengals lead away to four, but Buffalo State always answered back to extend its lead. Free throws from Michael Henry (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) in the final two minutes gave the Bengals their largest lead of the game, 76-58.

Buffalo State finished the night shooting 46.8 percent from the floor, 29.4 percent from behind the arc and 60 percent from the charity stripe. The Bengals held a 44-39 advantage in total rebounds and tallied 19 points off turnovers.

With the win, the Bengals extend their winning streak against the Blue Devils to 10. In addition, Buffalo State earned a point in the season-long Battle By The Lake with Fredonia. It was the first point either team earned during the winter season. The Blue Devils held a 9-1 lead after the fall.

The Bengals return to action at home on Friday for a SUNYAC matchup against Oneonta at 5:30 p.m.