NEW PALTZ, N.Y.— The Buffalo State men's basketball team fought valiantly but couldn't get over the hump, as timely plays pushed New Paltz past the Bengals by a 89-75 score in SUNYAC action Thursday night.
 
GAME BASICS
FINAL SCORE: New Paltz– 89, Buffalo State – 75
LOCATION:  Hawk Center – New Paltz, N.Y.
RECORDS:  Buffalo State (1-11, 0-5 SUNYAC), New Paltz (7-5, 4-2)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Aaron Davis (Beacon, NY/Beacon) led all Bengal scorers with 19 points, hitting three 3-pointers.
• Philbert Weekes (Brooklyn, NY/Lafayette) added 12 points and 10 rebounds, his fourth double-double of the season.
• Daron Hughey (Hartford, CT/The Masters School) scored 10 points, adding six assists and five rebounds.
• Tyron Smith (New York, NY/Thurgood Marshall) added a season-best 10 points, going 4-of-7 from the field.
• Jeremiah Miller (Clinton, MD/Grace Brethren Christian)
• Brendyn Cheng (Wantagh, NY/Commack)
• The Bengals shot 38.5 percent (30-of-78) from the field, but got 27 points from their bench unit.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bengals were playing catchup throughout the first half, as New Paltz staked a nine-point, 28-19 lead.
•  Jeremiah Miller (Clinton, MD/Grace Brethren Christian) and Smith keyed a 7-0 Bengal run at the 2:30 mark as the Bengals reduced their deficit to two at 28-26.
• The Hawks ended the period with an 8-0 run, as an Isaiah Bien-Aise put-back gave the hosts a 36-26 halftime lead.
• A 16-4 run by the Hawks gave the hosts a 20-9 lead after one.
• Buffalo State began the second half hitting its first three shots, capped by a Hughey 3-pointer as they trailed, 36-33.
• New Paltz would pull the lead towards double digits, only for the Bengals to rally and make it a one-possession game each time.
• Down seven with 8:09 left, a 6-0 Bengal run, capped by a Davis running layup, saw Bengals trail by just one (65-64).
• Up five with just under six to go, The Hawks' RJ Turner-Meyers missed the second of two free throws, but Lucas Seyoum rebounded the miss and fed Solomon Neuhaus from beyond the arc for the 74-66 lead.
• The Hawks eventually pulled away, ending the game on a 12-4 run.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Neuhaus led the Hawks with a game-high 27 points off the bench.
• Blondo added a 25-point, 14-rebound double-double, adding six assists and three steals.
• Bien-Aise added 15 points, eight rebounds, and three blocked shots.
• The Hawks shot 47.6 percent (30-of-63) from the field and went 10-of-28 from beyond the arc.

 
UP NEXT
The Bengals finish the week with a road matchup at Oneonta on Friday, beginning at 7:30 p.m.