The State University of New York at New Paltz is back on the road Tuesday, taking on defending conference champions, Oswego State to complete their home-and-home series.
 
The Hawks (5-12 overall, 1-9 SUNYAC) had a poor first half performance when they faced the Lakers (14-4, 8-3) and couldn't climb out of a double-digit deficit throughout the second half after getting out-scored, 46-25 in the opening 20 minutes. The deficit was too big to overcome and SUNY New Paltz suffered what was their fourth-straight State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) loss of the season.
 
Since then, the Hawks have played better basketball and earned a SUNYAC win four games later against Buffalo State. They fell in their most recent matchup Saturday against SUNY Oneonta, despite climbing back to get within one-possession down the stretch.
Oswego has won four of its last six games, including a weekend sweep Friday and Saturday on the road against Buffalo State and Fredonia State, winning both by 15-plus points.
 
Freshman Jeremiah Sparks paces the team offensively with 15.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point range. Senior forward Joe Sullivan follows with 13.8 points and a team-high 9.8 rebounds a contest.
 
As a team, the Lakers average more than 77 points per game, while giving up less than 69 against. They shoot about 44 percent from the floor and nearly 35 percent from 3-point range.
 
SUNY New Paltz, meanwhile, are trying to end a two-game losing skid and claim its first win over the Lakers since 2015. Tristan Wissemann had a team-high 17 points the first time the two teams met and he is averaging a team-best 14.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game on the season. Fellow senior forward Scott Reisert is playing his best basketball as of late, coming off his fourth double-double performance against the Red Dragons Saturday. In his last three games, the senior out of Middletown, NY is totaling 16 points and 10 rebounds per game, while shooting a productive 61 percent from the floor.
 
The Hawks have averaged 71.5 points per game on the year, while giving up 78.9 points against. They've shot close to 40 percent from the field and 33 percent from the perimeter, while allowing its opposition to shoot around 43 percent from the floor.
 
SUNY New Paltz is set to face Oswego Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Max Ziel Gymnasium.

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