WINDHAM, CT – The State University of New York New Paltz men's basketball team continued its strong start to the 2026-27 campaign Saturday evening, pulling away from host Eastern Connecticut State University in the second half to earn a 76-62 victory inside Geissler Gymnasium.
Coming off a 79-73 season-opening victory over Brooklyn College less than 24 hours earlier, the Hawks (2-0) overcame a tightly contested opening period before finding their offensive rhythm after the break, outscoring the Warriors (0-1) 46-32 in the final 20 minutes to secure their second consecutive victory.
Chris Whyte-Luciano continued his impressive start in a Hawks uniform, following his 24-point debut with a game-high 27 points on 10-for-14 shooting, including four three-pointers. Isaiah Rivera added 18 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and two steals, while Mo Sylla provided a spark off the bench with 11 points, six rebounds and a team-high six assists.
Eastern Connecticut opened the scoring with a pair of free throws from Julian Sanchez, but SUNY New Paltz quickly settled in offensively. Rivera and Whyte-Luciano helped the Hawks establish an early advantage, with the latter connecting from beyond the arc before finishing inside to give the visitors a 13-8 lead with 12:46 remaining.
The Hawks continued building momentum behind their defensive pressure, as Whyte-Luciano came away with a steal and found Izaias Clemmons for a transition layup to extend the advantage to seven. Sylla added a pair of free throws and later finished inside before Rivera connected from deep, giving SUNY New Paltz its largest lead of the opening half, 22-10, with 10:40 remaining.
The Warriors responded with a push of their own, using consecutive three-pointers from Cooper Steele to cut the deficit to four, 22-18, with just over seven minutes remaining. Eastern Connecticut continued chipping away at the Hawks' advantage as the half progressed, eventually taking a 30-27 lead following two free throws from Sanchez in the final minute.
Whyte-Luciano answered at the other end, burying a three-pointer off a feed from Sylla with 14 seconds remaining to send both teams into the locker room deadlocked at 30.
SUNY New Paltz emerged from the break with renewed energy, immediately taking control behind its defense and efficient finishing around the basket. Rivera opened the second-half scoring with a layup before Whyte-Luciano intercepted a Warriors pass and converted in transition. The guard followed with another finish inside to complete a 6-0 opening run and give the Hawks a 36-30 advantage.
The visitors continued finding success offensively, with Whyte-Luciano and Rivera leading the charge as SUNY New Paltz stretched its advantage to double digits. Whyte-Luciano converted inside with 13:30 remaining to make it 51-40, and later added another layup off a feed from George Patsalos to restore a 10-point cushion.
Sylla provided valuable minutes, converting consecutive layups during the middle stages of the half, while Rivera continued making his presence felt on both ends of the floor. The junior denied multiple attempts around the rim, including a block on Drew Soltis that helped spark another Hawks possession.
Rivera followed with a layup to extend the lead to 57-45 with 11:14 remaining, and Sylla added another basket shortly afterward to push the advantage to 13.
Eastern Connecticut continued battling, but the Hawks maintained control down the stretch. Sylla knocked down a free throw to make it 69-55 with 4:38 remaining, while Rivera finished inside with just under three minutes left to restore a 13-point cushion.
SUNY New Paltz closed out the contest to earn the 76-62 victory, completing a perfect opening weekend.
The Hawks finished shooting 46.3 percent from the field, including an impressive 57.1 percent in the second half. SUNY New Paltz also connected on four of its six attempts from beyond the arc after halftime and held a 46-30 advantage in points in the paint.
Whyte-Luciano added five rebounds and four steals to his 27-point performance, bringing his scoring total to 51 points through his first two games with the program. Rivera finished with eight rebounds and four blocks, while Patsalos contributed eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Sylla rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists, while the Hawks' defense forced 18 turnovers and recorded seven blocks.
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