Box Score Box Score

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz men's basketball team (6-4, 2-2 SUNYAC) completed a weekend State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) sweep over the western New York teams on Saturday afternoon, as the Hawks held off SUNY Fredonia (4-6, 1-3 SUNYAC), 101-95, in league action in the Hawk Center. New Paltz topped Buffalo State Friday evening, 86-85, in its first tilt of the weekend.

New Paltz reached the 100-point plateau for the first time since it scored 110 in a 110-109 double-overtime victory over Keene State College on Nov. 29, 2009. Saturday marked the first time that a Hawk team has reached triple figures in a non-overtime game since the 2000-01 edition of the program hung 124 on the Pratt Institute on Nov. 19, 2000, in the Ramapo College Tip-Off Tournament.

The Hawks started hot out of the gates, as junior guard Harris Wichard (Merrick, N.Y.) nailed three three-pointers in the first three minutes. Eleven of Wichard's 15 points on the afternoon came in the first 3:14 of the game. New Paltz continued to build upon its early momentum, going up 23-9 at the 13:15 mark after a freshman guard Lamard Herron (Westbury, N.Y.) three-pointer and posting its largest lead of the contest (20) three times in the stanza at the 10:29, 9:57 and 4:02 marks, respectively.

At the end of the first half, up 52-40, New Paltz had assembled a sizzling field-goal percentage of 73.1 percent (19-of-29) and a mind-boggling three-point-field-goal percentage of 87.5 percent (7-of-8). The Hawks' hot touch wore off in the second half, however, and Fredonia began figuring out the New Paltz defense.

Fredonia began the second half on a 12-6 tear, which Joseph Monahan keyed with six points. New Paltz began increasing the cushion, and Wichard gave the Hawks a commanding 17-point lead at 78-61 after a fast break layup with 6:53 remaining in regulation. After the Blue Devils scored and junior guard Shereef Taylor (Hyde Park, N.Y.) pushed the margin back to 17, Fredonia attacked, mounting a rally similar to that of the Hawks' just one night prior against Buffalo State.

The Blue Devils whittled the advantage down to single digits, but sophomore guard Nick Taldi (Merrick, N.Y.) showed mettle at the line in the final minute, knocking down two free throws to put the Hawks up 10. Dalton Kashmer drained a three with 33 ticks remaining and added a layup with 26 seconds left to pull the Blue Devils within five. After the two sides traded buckets, Monahan connected on a three-pointer to bring Fredonia within three at 97-94 in favor of New Paltz with just 12 seconds remaining. Taldi and Taylor combined to go 4-for-4 from the line from that point forward, ensuring the Hawk victory.

New Paltz once again shot well from the line, going 30-of-36 (83.3 percent). On the game, the Hawks shot 58.5 percent from the field (31-of-53) and 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from distance.

Taylor scored a team-high 24 points off 7-of-9 shooting from the field and 9-of-10 shooting from the line to pace the Hawk attack. Taylor also distributed six assists and pulled down two boards. Four other New Paltz players reached double figures. Taldi recorded 19 points, while Wichard and Herron chipped in 16 points each. Sophomore guard/forward Matt Devine (Manalapan, N.J.) rounded out the Hawks' double-digit scorers with 11. Herron's offensive performance was virtuoso, making good on each shooting attempt he made all afternoon. He was 5-of-5 from the field, 4-of-4 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the line. Junior forward/center Daniel Olsen (Stafford Springs, Conn.) pulled down nine rebounds, which served as the game-high despite his limited action due to fouling out.

For Fredonia, Monahan was the go-to option, dropping 30 points on the Hawks off 10-of-17 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 shooting from the charity stripe. The Blue Devils also gained double-digit scoring figures from Branden McKenney (14), Leonard Smith (13), Curtis Fluker (11) and Damien Goodwin II (11). Smith tied Taylor for the game-high in assists with six, and Fluker contributed two blocks.

New Paltz faces a crucial SUNYAC matchup on Tuesday, Jan. 11, as the Hawks take on SUNY Cortland at 8 p.m. in the Hawk Center.