The State University of New York at New Paltz men's basketball team looks to extend its winning streak Wednesday and Thursday when the Hawks enter the Hat City Tournament, hosted by Western Connecticut State University. 
 
SUNY New Paltz opens up the two-day tournament against hosting WestConn for a 3 p.m. matchup at Feldman Arena and will then face Cabrini or William Paterson the following day either at 11 a.m. in the consolation game or 1 p.m. in the tournament's championship contest.
 
"After two weeks off, we just miss basketball so it's nice to come into the gym playing back with the boys," said Hawks sophomore guard Rylan Blondo. "We're really excited. We brought the energy [Tuesday] at practice and we're just excited to get back out there, play games, have fun and play basketball again."
 
WestConn enters Wednesday at 6-3 overall, but lost its last two outings against conference foes, Plymouth State and UMass Boston, which put an end to what was a five-game winning streak. Like the Hawks, WestConn return to the floor after a two-week hiatus and will try to defend its home court where it is 4-2 this season. 
Senior guard Matthew Turner leads the team offensively, averaging 15.9 points per game and has scored 20-plus in three-straight games, including a 29-point outing in a win over Manhattville Nov. 30.  The 6-foot, 4-inch Turner has started all nine games this season and is shooting a productive 46 percent from the field, including 34 percent from behind the arc in 25-plus minutes of action per game. Junior guard Ahmod Privott follows offensively, averaging more than nine points per game on 36 percent shooting and leads the team on the glass with about six rebounds per game. Senior guard Wes Nelson facilitates the offense, totaling a team-leading 30 assists to average about six helpers per game, while also adding about nine points a contest on 46 percent shooting from the floor and 33.3 percent from 3-point range.
 
"WestConn, what we can expect is a pressure team," Blondo said. "They're going to give us all types of presses… they're going to be very aggressive. They're going to trap everyone, so we have to be careful with turnovers and pass the ball, try not to dribble out of the press. Just keep them flying, because I know they're going to be trapping everywhere. They play hard, so we just have to match their aggressiveness and we'll be fine."
 
As a team, WestConn has put up about 74 points per game while shooting 43 percent, while keeping opponents to less than 62 points per game on 38 percent from the field. WestConn and SUNY New Paltz have faced two common opponents thus far in SUNY Plattsburgh and St. Joseph's Brooklyn. WestConn opened up its season against the Cardinals and earned a convincing, 80-69 win. The Hawks recently faced Plattsburgh Dec. 4 and scored a season-high 96 points in a 19-point victory on the Cardinals home floor.
 
SUNY New Paltz's most recent win came on the road against the Bears and held off a late comeback from the hosts to come away with the 80-75 win. The Hawks held a lead as much as 24 in the contest, but never allowed St. Joseph's-Brooklyn to take the advantage despite seeing its cushion dwindle down the stretch. WestConn defeated the Bears Nov. 23, 79-39 with its opposition making just 14 baskets the entire game, shooting 27.5 percent. 
"We got our offense going. We knew it was going to come," Blondo said. "It's just confidence, keeping our confidence up. Good shot selection, that's big, and moving the ball. Not just one pass and flying the 3… [it's about] moving the ball, trusting our teammates and we're just getting open. We're playing hard and we're just playing good basketball right now."

The Hawks have shown flashes of their potential in their first seven games of the season but are still finding its consistency in a young roster. Their offense has been explosive at times, scoring less than 70 points just once all season, which came in their season opener. As a team, they average nearly 76 points per game on 43 percent shooting from the field and 30.4 percent from behind the arc. Blondo, coming off a career-high in his hometown against St. Joseph's Brooklyn, leads the team offensively with 16 points per game on an efficient 52.4 percent shooting from the field. The second-year guard also leads the team in rebounds, pulling down 48 on the season thus far and averaging nearly seven per game, while also leading the team in steals with 14.
 
Solomon Neuhaus follows offensively, averaging 14.7 points per game. The Gettysburg transfer has been lethal from behind the arc, knocking down 23-of-59 attempts for nearly 40 percent. Neuhaus is just a game removed from totaling a career-high 33 points in the win over Plattsburgh. Sean St. Lucia is the facilitator for SUNY New Paltz, as the first-year guard has totaled a team leading 38 assists to average nearly six per game, while playing a team-leading 32 minutes per game while starting all seven games. Second-year forward Tyreik Frazier has been a force underneath the basket, posting 24 blocks on the season to average nearly four per game, while also adding seven points and six rebounds per game in 21 minutes per game.

"We definitely have not played a full two halves of basketball, so that is an exciting thing," Blondo said. "I think we're definitely going to get that going this weekend so we get ready for SUNYAC and I think you'll get a full game from us, so we're excited."
 
Following SUNY New Paltz and WestConn Wednesday is Cabrini and William Paterson University. The Cavaliers are 4-7 entering the game after losing five-straight including its most recent outing Dec. 20 against University of Scranton in overtime. They have three players who average double-figure points, including leading scorer Aquil Stewart (16.1).
 
The William Patterson Pioneers meanwhile are 5-4 heading into Wednesday, losing two-straight against Rowan University and United State Merchant Marine Academy. The Pioneers have allowed more than 81 points against through nine games, including 100-plus against the Profs Dec. 11, but offensively they've recorded 80-plus point five times to average nearly 84 per game on 45 percent shooting, including 35 percent from 3-point range. They have four players who average double-figure points, including leading scorer Domenic Mignone who in nine starts has posted nearly 20 points a contest on 49 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range.




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