Plattsburgh, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz lost on the road Saturday to hosting Plattsburgh, 83-78.
 
The Hawks dropped to 11-6 overall and 7-3 in the SUNYAC. They struggled hitting from behind the arc, making just 5-for-20 from distance, while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and hit an efficient 23-for-25 from the foul line.
 
SUNY New Paltz suffered a season-high 21 turnovers in the game, which led to 30 points for the Cardinals who netted 46.2 percent from the floor and made 3-for-10 from 3-point range. Both teams found most of their points in the paint with Plattsburgh accounting for 48 and the Hawks 38 underneath the hoop.
 
The Cardinals led to start the game and extended to as many as 10 six minutes in, but the advantage was quickly cut back down to seven following a 3-pointer by Ethan St. Lucia off a dish from Dakoda Smith. Smith gave SUNY New Paltz its first lead since the opening minutes with less than nine left after getting his put-back to go. The team built off the momentum and created an eight-point cushion, capped by four consecutive points by Trevor Amalfitano off the bench with the Hawks leading, 29-21 with about 5:30 remaining in the half.
 
Amalfitano brought his team their largest lead of the half thanks to a make in the paint with three minutes to go to push the score to 33-24, but the Cardinals ended the half scoring 12-straight points including a made jumper in the final seconds to re-take control, 36-33 at the break.
 
SUNY New Paltz never found the lead again the rest of the way and although they climbed back after trailing by as many as 13 in the second half, it couldn't get over the hump.  
Lucas Seyoum made a pair of free throws to cut the difference to four with less than three minutes left, but a steal and finish on the break brought the deficit back to six. Out of a timeout by the Hawks, A.J. Knight earned a trip to the line where he made both to cut the score 77-73 with less than two minutes left. However, an offensive board following a miss on Plattsburgh's next possession put the hosts on the line where it made 1-of-2 to flex a five-point advantage. Knight answered with a 3-pointer to keep his team alive and trim the difference to two with about 70 seconds to go. Plattsburgh made two from the line that SUNY New Paltz matched with a pair of makes from the charity stripe by Seyoum.
 
With time winding down, the Hawks needed to foul, and the Cardinals came through with two more points and SUNY New Paltz missed its next attempt from the perimeter that ultimately sealed its fate.
 
Knight and Smith each had 17 points. Knight shot 4-for-8 from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line while adding three rebounds and an assist. Smith finished 7-for-10 and added 11 rebounds with two assists, two blocks and two steals in 26 minutes. Amalfitano followed with 14 points (5-7) with two rebounds and a steal in 21 minutes off the bench. Isaiah Rivera chipped in with 10 points, three rebounds, a block and two steals.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back in action Tuesday, hosting SUNY Oswego to close out their regular season series in the Hawk Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.


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