PLATTSBURGH, NY – The Buffalo State men's basketball team were defeated on the road, 77-78, in overtime by the Plattsburgh State Cardinals.
 
GAME BASICS

FINAL SCORE: Plattsburgh State – 78, Buffalo State – 77
LOCATION: Memorial Hall Gymnasium – Plattsburgh, NY
RECORDS: Buffalo State: 8-16 (6-11 SUNYAC), Plattsburgh State: 13-11 (10-7 SUNYAC)

INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Bryce Williams (Jamaica, NY/Campus Magnet) led the Bengals in the scoring department with 22-points, on 7-15 shooting from the field and going 8-10 from the free-throw line.  
• Chisom Ani (Elmont, NY/John Browne) pulled down 12 rebounds, leading all players in rebounds tonight.
• As a team, Bengals shot 42.2% from the floor, while going 29.2% from the three-point arc and 66.7% at the free-throw line.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• With two games remaining and a chance to clinch a SUNYAC playoff spot, the Bengals walked into Plattsburgh State with their hopes high for a victory in tonight's matchup. Tipping-off the first half, both teams were toe-to-toe with neither side giving an inch in gaining a major lead. Notched up at 24-24 with three-minutes remaining, both teams looked to close out the first half strong and take a halftime lead…but it would be the Cardinals who'd sneak by and take a one-point lead over the Bengals into halftime.
• In the second half, it was the Bengals who would begin to take over this game, jumping out early to regain the lead over the Cardinals. The Bengals would gain some momentum with a 5-0 run to take a six-point lead on the Cardinals, but the Cardinals kept the game close and tied this matchup. With under ten-minutes left of play, the Bengals would jump out to a nine-point lead over the Cardinals with momentum on their side from solid defensive and offensive play. However, the Cardinals wouldn't let the Bengals leave Plattsburgh just yet, tying the game back up after a 11-0 run. With the remaining seconds left in the ball game, the Bengals would go up two-points with seconds remaining but a tip-in layup from the Cardinals would tie this matchup yet again and send this one into overtime.
• In overtime, both teams went shot for shot with neither side letting the other steal the momentum. After a missed free-throw, the Cardinals would lay one in and take a one-point lead over the Bengals with under 20 seconds remaining. A clutch three-pointer from Zee Johnson (Rochester, NY/Greece-Athena) would give the Bengals a one-point lead with under ten seconds remaining, but a costly foul would give the Cardinals two free baskets from the free-throw line, sealing a victory over the Bengals in this thrilling matchup on the road.

FOR THE FOES

• Franklin Infante led all scorers with 24-points in this matchup.
• Kareem Welch led the Cardinals in rebounds with nine.

UP NEXT
The Bengals will close out their 2024-25 campaign, with one last stop in Potsdam as they battle the SUNY Potsdam Bears tomorrow evening at 4:00 P.M.