CORTLAND, N.Y. – Five Cardinals scored in double digits to help the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team top Cortland 80-78 to hand them their first SUNYAC loss of the season Friday night inside the Corey Gym.

Plattsburgh State improves to 8-4 overall and 6-1 in the SUNYAC while Cortland moves to 11-3 and 6-1 in the conference.

Junior forward Jonathan Patron (Huntington, N.Y./Harborfields) double-doubled with 20 points and 10 rebounds, senior guard Eli Bryant (Staten Island, N.Y./Michael J. Petrides School) came off the bench to score 19 points with eight rebounds, sophomore guard Nick DeAngelis (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) had 14 points, junior guard/forward Chris Middleton (New York, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) scored 11 points and added four assists while senior guard Eric Mack (Roosevelt, N.Y./Baldwin) recorded 10 points, five rebounds and had two blocks.

The game was tied four times in the first half before Middleton and Bryant each drained three's to take a six point edge. With 10:07 left in the first Plattsburgh State was up by ten points after Mack made a jumper, Patron put in a layup and Mack made a layup.

Cortland cut the lead to three points with 2:52 remaining and tied the game with a three-pointer to head into halftime 37-37.

The second half was a back and forth affair with the lead changing nine times before Cortland put in a layup and two free throws to take a three point cushion.

Bryant tied the game 51-51 with a three pointer and the Red Dragons put in a layup for a two point advantage. Mack grabbed his own rebound to tie the game 53-53 with a dunk, DeAngelis took the lead with a three pointer and Bryant made two free throws to take a five point edge.

Middleton extended the Cardinals cushion to seven points with a layup with 9:12 left and the Red Dragons tied the game 66-66 with 6:38 remaining.

The game was tied four more times in the enduring minutes and the lead changed eight times. Bryant drained a three with 49.7 seconds left to give the Cardinals a two point advantage and the win after Cortland missed a layup.

Plattsburgh State out-rebounded Cortland 51-32 with junior forward Ian Howard (Queens, N.Y./Springfield Gardens) picking up 11 for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals are away Saturday, Jan. 13, at Oswego to play a conference game at 3 p.m.