Despite a strong second-half performance Saturday, the State University of New York at New Paltz could not cement its first win in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play and took its third-straight loss following an 84-76 defeat to SUNY Oneonta.

The Hawks (4-6 overall, 0-3 SUNYAC) will try to build off their second half performance and play a complete 40 minutes Tuesday when they are back in conference action against Oswego State. SUNY New Paltz will need to play some of its best basketball to earn a win over the Lakers (9-2, 3-1) who a year ago was the best team in the SUNYAC, winning their third championship in five years.

Oswego has lost just two games thus far in its 2019-2020 campaign, falling to St. Lawrence Dec. 2 and The College at Brockport Dec. 6 with each game separated by a single point. The Lakers have won their last five contests, including a dominating weekend against Fredonia and Buffalo State, out-scoring the opposition, 153-110 in the Friday, Saturday sweep. 
Freshman guard Jeremiah Sparks leads the team with 15.5 points per game, followed by senior forward Joe Sullivan, senior guard Brandan Gartland and junior guard Liam Sanborn who has averaged 14.8, 13.4 and 11.6 points per game, respectively. Gartland and Sanborn both earned a spot on the All-SUNYAC team a year ago, while Sullivan was a SUNYAC All-Tournament team selection and is enjoying is most productive year as a Laker.

As a team, Oswego averages just less than 80 points per game, but has exceeded that mark in six of 11 games this season. The Lakers shoot about 44 percent from the floor and 34 percent from 3-point range, and are positive in both rebounding and turnover differential. They snag 40 boards per game, while averaging about 12 turnovers a contest, forcing its opposition into about 13 per game to score roughly 16 points off those miscues. They also allow about 70.7 points per game defensively, the second lowest in the SUNYAC, while keeping their opponents shooting 45 percent from the field.
 
The Hawks haven't earned a win over Oswego in five years and hope to end that streak Tuesday in the Hawk Center. They struggled in both matchups last season, especially on the offensive end. They averaged 52 points in the two losses, shooting just 32 percent. They have numerous additions to their 2019-2020 roster, however, and they have had an immediate impact. Freshman guard RJ Meyers-Turner has contributed 11.9 points per game, playing most of his minutes off the bench. He follows incumbents Tristan Wissemann and Jake Passaretti who pace the team with 13.9 and 12.1 points per game. Wissemann totaled a career-high 31 points against the Red Dragons Saturday, while Passaretti followed with 21 points and a team-high six assists.

SUNY New Paltz has averaged 74 points per game, but has yielded about 79 points against, while allowing the opposition to shoot roughly 42 percent from the field and 32 percent from the arc. The Hawks have averaged just less than 40 percent shooting, connecting on 265-of-673 attempts. They have won the difference on the glass (43-40 per game), but have struggled in the turnover battle, suffering about 18, while forcing 17 a contest.

They are 2-2 at home this season, playing their first action in the Hawk Center since Dec. 10 when they defeated St. Joseph's-Brooklyn, 67-61. SUNY New Paltz is slated to tip-off against the Lakers at 7:30 p.m. in the Hawk Center.

For everything #NPHawks be sure to follow us on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel, New Paltz Hawks.