NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The 2014-15 State University of New York at New Paltz men's basketball season tips off on Saturday, Nov. 15 as the Hawks host Hamilton College at 4 p.m. in the Hawk Center.
LAST YEAR'S RECORDS: The Hawks finished 6-19… Hamilton went 14-11 and qualified for the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament.
SCOUTING THE HAWKS: New Paltz returns 11 players and welcomes seven newcomers to the team this year… The Hawks bring back senior
Taylor Sowah who led the team with 16.0 ppg a season ago… Last season, New Paltz defeated Hamilton, 75-69, in Clinton, N.Y., as then-junior
R.J. Rosa led the way with 20 points behind 6-of-12 shooting... Sowah chipped in 13 points and six boards while then-sophomore
Keegan Donovan scored 13 points including a trio of three-pointers... That win marked the program's first over a team from the vaunted New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)... New Paltz is led by fourth-year head coach
Mike Rejniak (26-51 overall).
RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS: Sowah scored 383 points (16.0 ppg) while grabbing 154 rebounds (6.4 rpg) and registering 44 assists, 25 steals and 11 blocks... Rosa averaged 9.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 1.6 apg... Donavan chipped in 8.8 ppg, 2.7 apg and 2.4 apg...
Andrew Seniuk averaged 6.8 ppg and 3.2 rpg...
Alex Perlman contributed 6.5 ppg...
Kevin Roach averaged 4.6 rpg...
Zach Cone-Douglas chipped in 4.6 ppg.
SCOUTING THE CONTINENTALS: Hamilton is guided by fourth-year head coach Adam Stockwell (41-33 overall)… The Continentals welcome six freshman to the team this season including 6-11, 245 pound forward Zander Wear… Hamilton fell to New Paltz 75-69 last season... The Continentals lost their top two scorers in Matt Hart and Greg Newton to graduation... That duo combined for 44 of the team's 69 points in last year's meeting.
RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS: Senior Peter Kazickas averaged 8.0 ppg and 3.8 rpg... Junior Ajani Santos chippped in 6.8 ppg and 4.0 rpg... Junior Jack Donnelly averaged 6.2 ppg, 1.4 rpg and 1.4 apg... Lin contributed 5.6 ppg and 2.6 rpg... Sophomore Kyle Pitman recorded 3.1 ppg.
LAST MEETING:
The Hawks won 75-69 at Hamilton when these two teams last met on Jan. 4, 2014.
WHAT'S NEXT: New Paltz travels to cross-river rival Vassar College on Tuesday, Nov. 18 for a 7 p.m. game… Hamilton hosts SUNYIT on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m.
