New Paltz Edges First Place Geneseo, 64-62

NEW PALTZ, NY — Senior guard Matt Daudier (S. Floral Park, NY) pumped in a game-high 27 points to help SUNY New Paltz earn a 64-62 win over Geneseo this afternoon at Elting Gymnasium.

Daudier was 11-of-20 from the field and added six rebounds, four assists and three steals to give the Hawks a victory over the first place Blue Knights. Geneseo began the day with a half game lead over Brockport in the SUNYAC standings.

New Paltz (5-9, 3-4) struggled early and trailed 12-2 six and a half minutes into the game. Freshman forward Amseshem Foluke-Henderson (Jamaica, NY) sparked a 13-6 run midway through the first half to cut the Geneseo lead to 18-15 at the 7:20 mark. The Hawks pulled even at 28 with 1:40 to play on a basket by Daudier who closed out the half with seven straight points to carry New Paltz into the break ahead 33-30.

Freshman guard Matt Irwin (Brooklyn, NY) scored four straight points as part of an 8-2 run early in the second half that put the Hawks ahead 41-32 with 17 minutes remaining.

Geneseo (11-4, 4-2) pulled even twice in the second half and a pair of free throws by junior guard Joe Zera (Buffalo, NY) tied it at 57 with 2:45 to play. From there, New Paltz outscored the Blue Knights 5-0 over the next two minutes to go ahead 62-57 with 47 seconds remaining. Zera then drained a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 62-60 with 39 seconds to play before the two teams traded a pair of free throws.

New Paltz then turned the ball over on consecutive possessions but Geneseo came up empty on both attempts to tie the score.

Foluke-Henderson scored 14 points off the bench for New Paltz while senior guard Jayvard Smith (Hempstead, NY) added 13.

Senior guard Ben Schwenebraten (LeRoy, NY) led four Blue Knights in double figures with 15 points. Zera finished with 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and four steals.