Fredonia, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz extended its winning streak to three after collecting a 74-60 win on the road over Fredonia State to take the regular season series.
 
The Hawks head back home with an overall record of 14-6 and 10-3 in the SUNYAC to remain in first place atop league standings as they look ahead to next week's home stand against Plattsburgh and Potsdam.
 
SUNY New Paltz controlled the game from the opening tip and established a double-digit cushion just five minutes into the game and used an explosive first-half effort to roll to a 14-point victory.
 
The Hawks held a commanding 40-27 advantage at the break, as they made 14-for-31 from the field including 7-for-16 from 3-point range to get out in front and hold on for the majority of the first half. They thrived off 14 Blue Devil turnovers, producing 11 points off miscues and using the extra possessions to run the floor where they tallied 11 points on the break.
 
Lucas Seyoum aided in the first half cushion, draining 3-for-6 from 3-point range while adding a free throw to register a first-half high of 10 points. Sean St. Lucia followed with eight points in the opening 20 minutes, including one from the line that started a 5-0 run to end the half with A.J. Knight capping the surge with an assist to Smith before getting his hands on a steal and going coast-to-coast for a bucket at the other end in the final seconds to balloon the advantage to 13.
 
SUNY New Paltz scored six unanswered to open up the second half and created a 19-point cushion with Fredonia never recovering from the significant hole. Seyoum brought the difference to 21, swishing on a mid-ranged jumper off a find from Isaiah Rivera to create a 53-32 score with just less than 14 minutes to go.  
The Hawks saw their largest lead balloon to 22 with about 9:30 remaining on a put-back by Trevor Amalfitano. The closest the Blue Devils got to the visitors down the stretch was 12 three times with eight minutes left, but SUNY New Paltz answered on the other end on each occasion, first on a Seyoum triple, then on a Knight basket in the paint and then again off a bucket by Smith in the lane to stymy any type of momentum for the hosts.
 
Seyoum led the way, finishing with a career-high 21 points off 7-for-15 shooting, including 6-for-13 from 3-point range in 32 minutes, while adding four rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Smith followed with 16 points (8-12) with four rebounds, an assist and two steals. St. Lucia added 13 points (5-8) with four rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Knight registered 10 points (4-7), four rebounds, five assists and a game-high four steals.
As a team, the Hawks finished nearly 50 percent from the field, including 10-for-24 from 3-point range.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back in action Feb. 7 and 8 to face the Cardinals and Bears in the Hawk Center at 7:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.


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