BUFFALO, N.Y. - Three Red Dragons scored in double digits as the Oneonta men's basketball team downed Buffalo State 74-53 in SUNYAC action on Friday evening. Oneonta (7-6, 5-1 SUNYAC) held Buffalo State (5-8, 1-5 SUNYAC) to 30.8 percent shooting, while shooting 52.7 percent on the night.
Sophomore Cam LaClair (Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem) finished 9-for-17 with three triples for a game-high 24 points and eight rebounds. Junior Nicholas Cortez (Harlem, NY/Forest Hills) scored 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while sophomore Nate Cohen (Somers, NY/Somers) added 13 points, six boards, and three assists off the bench. Sophomore Pat Evans (Staten Island, NY/Xaverian) scored seven points with a career-high eight rebounds and four assists.
"We came out with great intensity tonight. Our guys were focused on defense and played with great discipline for the whole game," said head coach Cameron Conover. "We are happy with the win, and now we have to turn our attention toward tomorrow's opponent."
Buffalo State took an 11-9 lead midway through the first half before Oneonta used a 9-0 run with baskets from freshman Deion Mitchell-Murray (New York, NY/Greenburgh-North Castle), Cohen, freshman Carlos Almanzar (Brooklyn, NY/John Jay Campus), and senior Shea Barber (Wells Bridge, NY/Unatego). Evans sank a mid-ranger jumper at 7:34 to push the lead to 20-13, and the Red Dragons' lead grew to double-digits following a Mitchell-Murray and-one at 6:09.
The Bengals struggled to shoot in the first half, hitting 22.2 percent, while the Red Dragons shot 52.7 percent. Oneonta closed the first half with baskets from Cortez and LaClair to take a 35-22 lead at the break.
Buffalo State pulled within single digits following an inside basket by Chisom Ani at 17:16. Zee Johnson tipped in a shot to cut the Oneonta lead to six. LaClair responded with an inside jumper and a fastbreak triple to bring the advantage back to 11 points. An 8-0 run with three-pointers by LaCLair and Evans gave the Red Dragons a 57-40 lead. Evans passed off to LaClair for an open triple at 7:20, and an inside basket by senior Delano Knox (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) made it a 20-point game. Oneonta led by as much as 22 in the second half to secure the win.
Buffalo State's Ani led the team with 11 points, six boards, and five blocks, while Jacob Opare had nine points and five rebounds.
The Red Dragons are back in action on Saturday, January 17, to face Fredonia at 4 p.m. in SUNYAC play.
