ONEONTA, N.Y. – Junior guard Travis Cox (Brooklyn, N.Y./Frederick Douglass Academy) recorded his first career double-double with 20 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, but the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team fell to SUNY Oneonta, 97-76, in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) opener for both teams Friday evening at Dewar Arena.
 
Despite the loss, the Cardinals shot well from both the field and 3-point range, shooting 41.5 percent (27-of-65) overall from the floor while knocking down 42.3 percent (11-of-26) of their shots from beyond the arc. Plattsburgh State also won the rebounding battle, 37-33. Oneonta, however, shot 55.7 percent (39-of-70) from the floor and 48.3 percent (14-of-29) from 3-point range while committing just five turnovers all game.
 
Plattsburgh State drops to 2-4 overall (0-1 SUNYAC) with the loss and visits SUNY New Paltz tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. in its final game of the 2019 portion of its schedule. Oneonta rises to 2-3 overall (1-0 SUNYAC) with the win and entertains SUNY Potsdam tomorrow at 4 p.m.
 
The first half wound up being a back-and-forth battle. After senior forward Adam Jaquish (Moriah, N.Y./Moriah) tied the game at 26-all with a made jumper, Oneonta went on a 14-3 run to seize a 40-29 lead. Plattsburgh State countered with an eight-point tear after the two teams traded baskets, and a layup by Jaquish with 46 seconds remaining in the first half put Plattsburgh State out in front, 45-44. Senior guard/forward Harrison Deegan scored on a layup on Oneonta's next possession to hand the Red Dragons a 46-45 advantage at the half.
 
While Oneonta scored on its first two possessions of the second half, freshman guard Axel Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./New Paltz) cashed in on a layup to trim the gap to 50-47. A 15-2 Red Dragon surge broke the game open, and Oneonta led by as many as 24 points late in the contest.
 
Beyond Cox's 20-point, 12-rebound double-double, senior guard Nick DeAngelis (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) scored 17 points in 32 minutes coming off the bench. Senior guard/forward Jeremy Eisenman (New York, N.Y./NEST+m) scored 13 points, all of which came in the first half, while Rodriguez tallied eight points, three rebounds, two assists and a block while not committing a single turnover in 33 minutes of work.
 
For Oneonta, senior guard Kevin Mackin led the way with 26 points, while Deegan and junior guard/forward Joseph Bull netted 17 and 15 points, respectively. Deegan and Bull also distributed seven assists apiece. Sophomore guard/forward Dylan Trombley registered 13 points in 20 minutes coming off the bench.