The final score may say 102-77 in favor of Division I Albany, but the SUNY Oneonta men's basketball team played even with the Great Danes in the second half in an exhibition game for the Red Dragons against its former SUNYAC foe from the State Capital.
 
"We battled tough tonight," stated Head Coach Cameron Conover.  "We challenged them at halftime and they really responded.  We played a very good Div. I team even in the second half.  We will learn a lot from this game and it will help us going forward this season."
 
Trailing by 23 points at halftime, Oneonta (2-1) shot an even 50 percent from the floor in the second half en route to posting 52 points.  The Red Dragons converted 10-of-25 from behind the arc making five in each half.
 
Senior Dwayne Freeman (Schenectady/Notre-Dame Bishop Gibbons) led four players in double figures with 17 points.  Junior Matthew Boyd (Hempstead/Half Hollow Hills East) scored 13 points while the sophomore duo of Carson Jacobs (Buchanan/Hendrick Hudson) and Kevin Mackin (Nanuet/Nanuet) contributed 12 points and 11 points respectively.
 
After a pair of inside baskets by Albany (4-0), sophomore Ian Schultz (Clifton Park/CBA) got the Red Dragons on the board with a three-pointer.  Schultz's three was followed by another three by Freeman to give Oneonta its only lead of the game at 6-4.
 
Oneonta continued to hang tough through the first 10 minutes trailing only 18-16.  Unfortunately, Oneonta went cold from the field and the Great Danes capitalized in the paint outscoring the Red Dragons 30-9 over the final 10 minutes of the half to grab a 48-25 lead at the break.
 
Next up for Oneonta is a match-up with city rival Hartwick next Tuesday night in the Lambros Arena on the campus of Hartwick.  Tip-off is scheduled for 8pm.