In a game that featured two of the top scoring teams in the SUNYAC, it was the host Buffalo State Bengals who came out on top tonight against SUNY Oneonta 101-94.  Both teams had four players reach double figures led by Oneonta senior Mikey McElroy (Saratoga Springs/Saratoga Springs) and Buffalo State's Lovell Smith who scored 30 and 31 points respectively.  The win for the hosts raised its overall record to 11-5 and 5-5 in the SUNYAC while Oneonta fell to 9-7 overall and 6-3 in conference play.
 
Highlighting the game for Oneonta was the reaching of 1,000 career points by senior Lawrence Coleman (Croton on the Hudson/Hendrick Hudson), who became only the 12^th player in program history to eclipse the milestone.  Coleman reached the mark early in the second half en route to another double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.  Coleman now stands at 1,004 career points.
 
Both squads shot better than 50 percent from the field in the contest with Oneonta (55%) holding a slight advantage over the Bengals (53%).  The Red Dragons made 8-of-15 from behind the arc as compared to Buffalo State who made only 7-of-20 from long distance.  Despite outrebounding the Bengals in the game, 42-28, Oneonta turned the ball over a season high 20 times, which led to 36 points going the other way for Buffalo.
 
A steal and a layup by graduate student Frankie Kelly (Brewster/Kennedy Catholic) tied the game at 90 apiece with 1:43 remaining in the game.  Kelly overcame early foul trouble to score 15 points tonight including nine points in the second half.
 
Five unanswered points by the Bengals including a big three gave them the cushion they needed down the stretch, as Oneonta couldn't get inside of three points in the final 36 seconds.  Buffalo State converted 6-of-8 free throws and Oneonta missed a couple of threes during the final half minute of the game.
 
Oneonta jumped out to an early 7-2 lead in the opening two minutes before Buffalo State countered to grab a 9-7 lead with seven unanswered points.  The Bengals continued to hold its lead until a layup by freshman Ian Schultz (Clifton Park/CBA) tied the score at 31 apiece with just under 10 minutes to go.
 
A 17-5 burst by the hosts during a six-minute stretch, gave them its largest lead at 13 points with 3:31 left in the first half.  Oneonta closed the gap heading into the break and trailed 58-49 at halftime.
 
Joining Coleman and Kelly in double figures tonight for Oneonta were seniors Mikey McElroy (Saratoga Springs/Saratoga Springs), who had his third, 30-point, game of the season and Jack Kolosky (Fishkill/Our Lady of Lourdes) who contributed 17 points and 11 boards.
 
Oneonta will play at Fredonia tomorrow afternoon beginning at 2pm.