New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz fell in its season opener Saturday night in the Hawk Center, 92-79 in the Hawk Center.
 
The Hawks struggled slowing down the Warriors offense with the visitors shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor and above 40 percent from 3-point range on 9-for-22 makes from the perimeter. Eastern Connecticut took advantage of its size in the paint with more than half of their points coming from underneath the basket with 52 points in the paint.
 
Mo Sylla got the score even at 14-all early in the first half, weaving his way to the hoop on an acrobatic finish with more than 15 minutes left. The Warriors scored seven unanswered before Isaiah Rivera broke up the stretch with a made trey before finishing tough at the rim for an and-1 off an Amir Hughes steal on the other end. The difference was cut to one at 21-20 following a made free throw by Rivera with 12 minutes left, but SUNY New Paltz couldn't grab the lead as Eastern Connecticut hovered around a nine-point lead down the stretch before the hosts tied the score at 36-all with four minutes left. Hughes drove across the baseline before kicking out to Thomas Keane on the perimeter who cut through the paint and laid a pass back to Hughes for two to knot the game.
 
 
The Hawks went scoreless for two-plus minutes before Trevor Amalfitano picked a pass in the open court and laid in two on the break with 2:37 to go, cutting the deficit to three. The Warriors went up five with just more than a minute remaining in the half, but SUNY New Paltz scored the final four points on two made free throws by Amalfitano and a buzzer beater by LaMar Matthews. A good defensive set led to a contested 3-pointer well off the arc as the shot clock expired. Amalfitano tracked the long defensive rebound off the rim and pushed up the floor to Matthews who evaded a defender and laid in two as the halftime buzzer sounded to cut the score to 45-44 at the break.    
However, Eastern Connecticut State built a double-digit cushion early in the second half and rode it the rest of the way as it shot 20-for-40 in the final 20 minutes with the Hawks in turn, making just 15-for-40, including 3-for-14 from 3-point range in the second half to fall short of a come-back.
 
Rivera was the game's leading scorer after finishing with 22 points on 8-for-15 shooting in 31 minutes, adding a team-high in rebounds (9), assists (4) and blocks (3), while adding a steal. Sylla followed with 18 points in 25 minutes, while Matthews and Amalfitano each had 15 points. Matthews shot 5-for-14 from the field with six rebounds and a game-high five steals, while Amalfitano went 5-for-13 from the floor with five rebounds and a steal.
 
SUNY New Paltz return to action Wednesday, going on the road to face Brooklyn College at 7 p.m.


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