Buffalo, NY – The State University of New York at New Paltz suffered a 79-70 loss on the road against Buffalo State Saturday. The Hawks dropped to 1-14 in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) and 5-17 overall, while the Bengals improved to 3-14 in the SUNYAC and 5-16 overall.

After Buffalo State took a 36-30 first half lead, SUNY New Paltz climbed back in to re-gain control thanks to a 24-12 run midway through the period. The Bengals opened up with a 13-4 advantage to start, earning easy points at the foul line. Sheldon Adams helped extend Buffalo State's advantage to 13 with a 3-pointer and a dunk in transition with about 16 minutes to go, but the Hawks quickly answered.

Scott Reisert got the SUNY New Paltz rally going, scoring the Hawks' first points out of the ensuing timeout to end the Bengals 6-0 stretch. Tristan Wissemann helped trim the deficit to 10, finishing on a dish from Jake Passaretti and then adding on with a trey off a steal from Reisert on the other end of the floor. Buffalo State countered with a couple buckets to reach the difference to 10 once more, but consecutive points by Reisert and Passaretti quickly cut the deficit to five with about 11 minutes to go.

The Hawks finally tied the score two minutes later. Isiah Bien-Aise pulled down a defensive board and pushed in transition to Passaretti to get the Hawks within three. Wissemann earned a trip to the foul line after Buffalo State countered with a bucket on the ensuing possession with Passaretti knocking down another 3-pointer on the fast break to knot the score at 61-all.

The game was at a stalemate for nearly two minutes with each team trading missed shots and turnovers, but Bien-Aise broke the tie by hitting a shot from the perimeter off a find from Passaretti to push SUNY New Paltz ahead for the first time since the latter part of the first half. Buffalo State tied the score at 64, but Passaretti put his team back in front with a bucket in the lane with about five minutes to go.

However, SUNY New Paltz went scoreless for the next three minutes and allowed the Bengals to jump out in front once more. Aaron Davis officially gave the hosts the advantage with a trey at 69-67, with about three and a half minutes remaining. Wissemann ended the scoreless stretch for the Hawks with less than two minutes left on a made free throw, but it was too late as the Bengals hung on to a seven point cushion from there, adding on at the foul line to secure the win.

Buffalo State shot slightly better on the night at about 42 percent, while the Hawks finished 37 percent from the floor. The Bengals also won the battle on the glass, pulling down 47 rebounds, 19 on the offensive end, while SUNY New Paltz registered 40 boards on the night. 

"We struggled to handle their big man down low and were out-rebounded," said Hawks coach Keith Kenney. "We switched to a zone and defended well, and that helped us get back into the game. We did not execute down the stretch to pull it out."

Wissemann paced SUNY New Paltz offensively with a team-high 21 points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds and an assist, while playing all 40 minutes. He also surpassed 1,000 career points in the outing, joining 19 others in the program's illustrious 1,000-point club.

"Tristan is one of the hardest workers I have ever been around," Kenney said. "He deserves any success he has received. He is a team first guy who possesses a high standard of values and New Paltz was very fortunate to have him for four years. He will be sorely missed." 

Passaretti followed with 18 points, three rebounds and a team-high seven rebounds. Reisert chipped in with 12 points, seven boards, three blocks and five steals, while Bien-Aise added 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal in 18 minutes off the bench.

The Hawks are back on the floor Tuesday in their home finale in the Hawk Center against SUNY Cortland where they will honor their four seniors: Wissemann, Reisert, Nick Arthur and Matt English, prior to the game. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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