GENESEO, N.Y. – The No. 23 ranked Plattsburgh State men's basketball team used a 16-point first half from Kyle Richardson and 15-point second half from Jonathan Patron to down SUNY Geneseo 76-72 Saturday afternoon at the Carl Schrader Gymnasium.

The Cardinals close out their regular season with a 21-4 record, going 16-2 in SUNYAC play. The conference mark includes a perfect 9-0 showing in road contests.

Coming into play Saturday, the Knights as a team were shooting a combined 45.3-percent from the field. Plattsburgh State was able to not only limit SUNY Geneseo to just 32.8-percent (19-for-58), but limited its top scorer Justin Ringen to a season-low six points. It's the first time all year that Ringen failed to register at least 10 points in a game. Ringen was in foul trouble all afternoon, and only logged 11 minutes of gameplay.

Plattsburgh State meanwhile had a quick start, fueled by senior Kyle Richardson. The Baldwin, N.Y., native scored seven of the first 11 Cardinal points, as the visitors jumped out to an 11-4 advantage just over three minutes in.

Jonathan Patron posted up often against the Knights and gave the hosts a fit. The freshman helped the Cardinals maintain their advantage throughout the first half, scoring six of his seven first half points in the paint.

Having effectively dialed up the efficiency from long range that last times these two teams met, SUNY Geneseo was held in check from distance on Saturday. The Knights went just 5-for-15 on triple attempts in the first half and finished 9-for-30 for the game.

SUNY Geneseo closed to within one possession of tying the Cardinals with just under three minutes left in the first half, but Plattsburgh State traded baskets and a few free throws with the Knights, taking a 36-33 lead into halftime.

It was senior day for the Knights, but sophomore Kevin Crockett made it his career day as the sophomore led the Knights with 23 points. Crockett converted on an old fashioned three-point play out of the break to get even with the Cardinals at 36.

Patron, however, doubled up the intensity in the second half. The Huntington, N.Y., product notched the first seven points of the half for Plattsburgh State. Richardson would then steal a swing pass on the far side and hustle down for a breakaway slam. That finish sealed a 9-0 run for the Cardinals that put them back up by nine, 45-36.

The Cardinals would maintain a lead of around 10 points from five minutes in all the way until five minutes remained in the game.

Similar to what took place in Friday night's game against Brockport, the opposition rallied down the stretch to tie up the game late. SUNY Geneseo rattled off a 13-2 run to turn a 10-point deficit with 5:30 remaining into a one-point lead with 2:32 showing on the clock.

Finding itself down for the first time all day at 68-67, Plattsburgh State stuck to the plan and drew four fouls in the game's final two minutes and change. The Cardinals went 16-for-21 from the charity stripe in the second half and made 7-of-8 in that crucial late stretch.

Plattsburgh State got its biggest shot of the game from senior Edward Correa, when he hit his second of two threes on the afternoon with 1:09 left, giving the Cardinals a 72-70 lead.

Patron solidified his player of the game status by picking up a huge offensive rebound off of a missed free throw with 25 seconds left. He would then get fouled and make his two attempts from the line, extending the Plattsburgh State lead to 75-72.

Each team would spend a timeout to draw up its respective plays. The Cardinals would come out on top though as a Crockett three with three seconds left clanked off the rim, with Richardson grabbing the rebound and securing the win.

Patron would finish with a team-high 22 points to go along with a game-high 12 rebounds, while Richardson swished eight of his 11 shot attempts from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line to post 21 points, adding nine rebounds.

The Cardinals will host the SUNYAC semifinals next Friday, with the championship game coming on Saturday. The Cardinals will learn their opponent in the conference semifinals following quarterfinal games on Tuesday night.