GENESEO, N.Y.— Nico McLean (Buffalo/Amherst) had a double-double and completed a late 3-point play to lift Buffalo State to a 92-87 victory over host Geneseo tonight in a critical SUNYAC matchup.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 92, Geneseo – 87
LOCATION:  Carl Schraeder Gymnasium – Geneseo, N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (13-9/7-8), Geneseo (14-6/8-5)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• McLean finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
• Kevin Marmolejos (Woodhaven/Beach Channel) was Buffalo State's leading scorer with 22 points.
• Michael Henry (Syracuse/W. Genesee) scored 20 points to go with nine rebounds, and Lovell Smith (Buffalo/McKinley) also netted 20 points.
• Geneseo jumped out to an early seven-point lead and led 43-40 at halftime.
• The Knights continued to lead for much of the second half, stretching the advantage to as many as nine at 65-56 with 11 minutes remaining.
• The Bengals cut the deficit to one, only to find themselves behind by seven with five minutes left. 
• Buffalo State took its first lead of the second half on a Marmolejos 3-pointer with 2:42 remaining, but again trailed by one in the final minute.
• McLean produced a steal and converted a layup and an ensuing free throw with 27 seconds remaining to finally give Buffalo State a lead it would not relinquish. 
• Another Geneseo turnover resulted in another McLean free throw make, and then Redell Freeman (Rochester/Bishop Kearney) put the game out of reach with a steal and layup to complete the scoring.
• Buffalo State shot 51-percent for the game and held a 46-34 scoring advantage in the paint.
• Geneseo was 11 of 24 from 3-point range.

                                                      
FOR THE FOES

• Justin Ringen led the Knights with 28 points and eight rebounds.
• John Decker scored 22 points and had four assists, and Jordi Menkhorst added 10 points.

 
UP NEXT
Buffalo State will travel to Fredonia for a "Battle by the Lake" contest on Friday at 7:30 p.m.