Despite three players in double figures, the SUNY Oneonta men's basketball team came up on the short end of a 69-52 loss at home to New Paltz today.  Oneonta (8-9, 3-7 SUNYAC) nearly erased a 19-point halftime deficit but could only get as close as six points in the waning minutes of the contest.
 
Junior Kevin Mackin (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) and sophomore Andres Rivera (Bronx, NY/Walton) each scored 13 points to lead the Red Dragons while sophomore Joseph Bull (Bronx, NY/Mount St. Michael Academy) added 10 points.
 
Sophomore Jake Passaretti led New Paltz (10-7, 5-5 SUNYAC) led all scorers in the contest with 24 points.  Joining Passaretti in double figures today was Tristan Wissemann (11 points) and Nick Paquette and Paddy Parr who each scored 10 points.
 
After a couple of quick baskets by the Hawks to begin the second half, the Red Dragons began to chip away at the deficit.  A 20-7 run that included 13 unanswered brought Oneonta to within 10 points at 48-38 with 9:41 to go in the game.  The run was capped by a lay up from junior Harrison Deegan (Putnam Valley, NY/Putnam Valley).
 
Oneonta continued to inch closer as each minute passed putting together its final push that brought them to 54-48 on a Dylan Trombley (Moriah, NY/Moriah) three-pointer with just under five minutes left.  A pair of free throws by Trombley two minutes later, made the score 57-50.  The Hawks would close the final three minutes with a 12-2 run to secure the win.
 
Oneonta jumped out to an early 9-2 lead in the opening five-plus minutes thanks to five points from Mackin.  The Hawks battled back to tie the game at 12-12 before grabbing the lead for good on a basket by Scott Reisert with just under nine minutes to go in the opening half.
 
The Hawks took advantage of some cold shooting during the final stretch while continuing to build its lead.  Passaretti paced New Paltz with 14 points in the opening twenty minutes.
 
Oneonta will play its next game this coming Tuesday night at rival Cortland beginning at 7:30pm.