CHICOPEE, Mass. - Steve Thomas posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Errol Daniyan matched him with a team-best 16 points, but it wasn't enough as the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team lost at Elms College, 86-72, in a non-conference game on Wednesday at Picknelly Arena. The Cardinals fall to 1-1 overall while the Blazers, who are ranked 33rd in NCAA Division III if the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll was extrapolated, were victorious in their season opener.

Senior point guard Juan Maldonado dropped in a game-high 18 points to become Elms' all-time leading scorer with 1,179. In all, four Blazers starters reached double-digits in points as Bryant Corcoran and Javon Mathis finished with 17 each behind Maldonado's 18, and Brittain Purcelle netted 11. 

Elms opened the game with a 5-0 lead before Plattsburgh responded with a similar run and then scored seven of the next 11 points to post a 12-9 lead. That was the last time the Cardinals were ahead.

Elms led 45-35 at halftime and kept a double-digit cushion in the second half, blowing the game open with a 13-2 run over a span of 5 minutes and 11 seconds.

Both teams shot 44.6 percent from the field, but Elms scored 12 more baskets thanks to second-chance opportunities on the strength of an 18-9 advantage on the offensive glass. The Blazers held a slight rebounding edge, 45-40.

Plattsburgh's aggressive attacking style resulted in 28 trips to the free throw line, making 21. Elms was 4 for 10 at the stripe.