NEW PALTZ, NY – — The SUNY New Paltz men’s basketball team stopped a nine-game State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) losing streak dating back to last season with a 63-53 win over Geneseo this afternoon at Elting Gym.
The Hawks were led by senior guard Ben Davey (Andover, NJ) who scored a game-high 20 points and made 4-of-7 from three-point range. Davey scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half to help New Paltz improve to 3-7 overall and 1-2 in the SUNYAC.
Geneseo, who had its five-game winning streak stopped, led briefly in the second half. The Knights last lead came at the 11:50 mark when sophomore guard Mike Early (Cornwall, NY) sank a jumper to make it 34-33.
From there, New Paltz held Geneseo (6-4, 2-3) to two field goals over the next seven minutes and used a 13-5 run to go ahead 46-39 with 4:54 to play.
The Hawks lead reached double figures, 55-45, on two free throws by junior guard Jayvard Smith (Hempstead, NY) with 1:19 to play.
New Paltz scored the game’s first five points to go ahead 5-0, 1:40 into the game. After Geneseo answered with five straight points of their own to tie it, the Hawks used a 9-4 run to build another five-point margin, 14-9, with 10:45 remaining in the first half. New Paltz maintained the lead for most of the first half with its biggest advantage coming with 3:00 left on free throw by senior center Steve Tobitsch (New Canaan, CT) to make it 24-18.
But Geneseo outscored New Paltz 7-1 the rest of the way and took its only lead of the first half with 1:30 remaining on a basket by sophmore guard Joe Zera (Buffalo, NY). The Knights carried that one-point lead into the lockeroom.
New Paltz junior guard Dom Fornabaio (Wappingers Falls, NY) was the only other Hawk in double figures and finished with 10 points. Geneseo was led by senior guard Tim Lennon (Buffalo, NY) who had 15 points.
