Hot Second Half Shooting Carries Vassar Past SUNY New Paltz

NEWBURGH, NY — Vassar hit six, three-point field goals in the second half and shot 59 percent in the final 20 minutes to erase a seven-point half deficit to prevail 79-74 over SUNY New Paltz in the opening round of the Hudson Valley Shootout this evening at Mount St. Mary.

Lawrence Avitabile led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor. Seth Taft scored 17 points off the bench and was 7-of-8 from the floor and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc to key the Brewers (2-1) to the victory.

SUNY New Paltz (1-2) finished with four players in double figures. Sophomore forward Amseshem Foluke-Henderson (Jamaica, NY) led the Hawks with 17 points before fouling out. Sophomore forward John Hauser (East Williston, NY) added 16 points, six rebounds and four steals. Junior guard Keith Crichlow (Central Islip, NY) and sophomore guard Tony Cannon (New York, NY) were also in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively.

After hitting 13-of-18 from the foul line in the first half, the Hawks were just 6-of-12 from the charity stripe in the second half.

SUNY New Paltz will face either Bard or Mount St. Mary in the consolation game next Wednesday (Dec. 1) at 6:00 p.m.