Freshman Kevin Mackin (Nanuet/Nanuet) came off the bench to ignite the SUNY Oneonta men's basketball team in its 83-79 win at home tonight against SUNY Geneseo.  Mackin torched the twine for 22 points off the bench en route to his best night as a collegian lifting the Red Dragons to its fourth straight victory.
 
Mackin buried five three-pointers in the game scoring 13 of his 22 points in the first half where Oneonta led 46-42 at intermission.  Mackin also converted 5-of-7 free throws, as Oneonta (14-8, 11-4 SUNYAC) made 17 in the game to only nine for Geneseo (12-10, 7-8 SUNYAC), which proved to be the difference in an otherwise even game statistically.
 
"Once again our guys came up with big stops when they need to," said Head Coach Cameron Conover.  "Our guys play real hard and gutted this one out."
 
There was a total of 10 ties and 14 lead changes in tonight's ball game.  Oneonta's largest lead was 10 points on two occasions in the second half.  The Knights' largest lead was six points coming in the first half 20-14.  Oneonta also put together three separate 8-0 runs in the game including one in the final two minutes of the game to pull away from Geneseo.
 
The Red Dragons shot an even 50 percent (28-56) from the floor while Geneseo shot 45 percent (30-67).  Both teams made 10 three-pointers and the rebounding was even at 34 boards apiece.
 
Oneonta trailed for most of the first 10 minutes of the game until a jumper by senior Mikey McElroy (Saratoga Springs/Saratoga Springs) tied the score at 23 apiece with 9:09 remaining in the first half.  The Red Dragons' first 8-0 run gave them the lead for the rest of the half.  McElroy finished the game with 25 points to lead Oneonta.
 
A three-point play by senior Lawrence Coleman (Croton on the Hudson/Hendrick Hudson) and a trey from junior Dwayne Freeman (Schenectady/Notre-Dame Bishop Gibbons) started the second half for Oneonta, as they opened a 10-point lead.
 
Geneseo continued to battle and tied the score once again at 62 apiece when senior John Ringen made a layup with 10:44 to go.  Ringen led all scorers tonight with 27 points.
 
The score would be tied five more times with the final deadlock coming at 75 apiece with exactly two minutes remaining.  McElroy then gave Oneonta the lead for good after converting the second of two free throws that jump-started Oneonta's final 8-0 run.
 
Conover concluded, "Tomorrow will be another tough challenge, and I know our guys will be ready to compete."
 
The Red Dragons will take on the Brockport Golden Eagles tomorrow at 2pm in the Dewar Arena.