BROCKPORT, NY—Fourth-seeded Brockport (15-11) shot 53 percent from the field and slipped past visiting No. 5 Buffalo State (15-10), 78-73, in a back-and-forth SUNYAC Quarterfinal contest tonight at Vlogianitis Gym.
 
Senior Chris Cartwright (Binghamton/Binghamton) led Buffalo State with 16 points, six assists and three steals in his final game as a Bengal.  Fellow seniors Chris Thompson (Far Rockaway/Channel View) and Roderick Epps (Uniondale/Uniondale) also scored in double figures.  Thompson had 14 points to go with 10 rebounds, and Epps scored 13 points.  Sophomore Lovell Smith (Buffalo/McKinley) chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds.
 
The game was tied 16 times and featured 20 lead changes.  Buffalo State took the biggest lead of the game for either team at 30-24 with less than seven minutes remaining in the first half, but a mini-rally by the Golden Eagles made the score even at 37-37 at the intermission. 
 
The Bengals reclaimed the six-point lead at 52-46 early in the second half and held an advantage for more than six minutes, but Brockport closed the gap again. Brockport answered again and hit a layup with 1:33 remaining to tie the score for the final time at 71-71.  The Golden Eagles then hit four-consecutive free throws to take the lead.  Buffalo State trailed by three with 12 seconds left, but a quick 3-point attempt went begging.  Brockport secured the rebounds and hit two free throws with six seconds left to put the game away.
 
Buffalo State won the turnover battle, 16-10, but shot just 41 percent from the floor. 
 
Brockport advances to the semifinals at top-seeded Plattsburgh on Friday at 7:30 p.m.