Buffalo, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz played its final conference game of 2022 Saturday and put together an impressive dominating victory over hosting Buffalo State, 92-26 in a complete team performance.
 
"Very good way to go into the break because it wasn't just a big win on the scoreboard, but I was happy with the level of focus that only really wavered for a few plays to start the second half," said Hawks coach Jamie Seward. "That's what we need to be able to do night in and night out."
 
SUNY New Paltz scored 90-plus for the first time since the 2018-19 season when it registered 98 points in a win on the road at Buffalo State in 2019. On Saturday, it set season-high's not only in points scored, but free throw attempts (32) and free throws made (24) and was a basket shy of matching a season-high in field goals made after shooting nearly 44 percent on 30-for-69 shooting from the floor.
 
The Hawks got out to a hot start, going on a 14-0 run to spur a 14-2 advantage midway through the first quarter before the game's first media timeout. Graci Serravillo and Brianna Fitzgerald were the catalysts in the start, combining for eight points in the stretch.
 
Lexi Van Vorst extended the lead with a made 3 out of the timeout for SUNY New Paltz, which helped her team to a 15-point cushion that extended to as many as 22 following a made 3 by Madison Mullman, a good baseline jumper by Maddie Gillis and baskets in the paint by Olivia Badura, Julia Sabatino and Abby Korzekwinski before quarter's end.
 
The Hawks continued to build on their hefty cushion before the end of the half, seeing their largest lead balloon to 39 following a made free throw in the final minute by Victoria Venus. SUNY New Paltz went into the locker room after 20 minutes with a 49-10 advantage, having a productive half offensively, shooting 52 percent from the floor and 39 percent from behind the arc with Jenny Walton pacing the team with nine points in the half.  
Not letting up in the second half, the Hawks continued bulking up the difference and led by as many as 67, which came in the final minute of the fourth quarter following a put-back by Badura. The second unit for SUNY New Paltz played the majority of fourth and the group of Badura, Gabby Palladino, Erin Cooney, Stasia Epler and Anna Kitch secured the comfortable win for the Hawks.

All 15 players on the roster stepped on the floor and scored at least a point for SUNY New Paltz. Epler set a career-high after pacing the team with 11 points in 16 minutes, while adding five rebounds. Fitzgerald, Walton, Mullman and Cooney followed with nine points apiece, while Fitzgerald led the team with six steals and five rebounds. Badura chipped in with eight points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals in 18 minutes off the bench.

"I said after the game Stasia had to ruin it by scoring 11, but 90-plus points with everyone scoring and only one in double figures, that's pretty impressive," Seward said. "I kind of challenged our bench last night after the Fredonia game, asked them to play with more confidence because they were so much better than the way they've been playing and they certainly responded today."
 
The Hawks held the Bengals to a season-low 26 points and 27 percent from the field on 12 made baskets with 36 turnovers in the game helped by 21 steals by SUNY New Paltz — a season-high.
 
The Hawks improved to 8-3 overall and 5-0 in the SUNYAC, winning its fifth straight game as it sits atop of the SUNYAC with fellow conference undefeated SUNY Cortland. The team has nearly three weeks off until its next contest when it heads to Schenectady, NY to face Union College before resuming conference play after the New Year Jan. 7 against SUNY Oneonta.  

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