OSWEGO, N.Y. – Junior guard Matt Bernhard (Voorheesville, N.Y./Voorheesville) scored a career-high 17 points in 33 minutes coming off the bench, but the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team came up just short in a 75-69 loss to Oswego State on Friday evening in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action at Max Ziel Gymnasium.
 
Beyond Bernhard's scoring total, he established career-high totals in steals (2) and blocks (1) while matching his career high in rebounds (5). He shot 6-of-8 from the floor, 4-of-6 from 3-point range and 1-of-2 from the line. Junior guard Travis Cox (Brooklyn, N.Y./Frederick Douglass Academy) registered 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks, while senior guard Nick DeAngelis (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) posted a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double.
 
The Cardinals shot 43.5 percent (27-of-62) from the field, 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from 3-point range and 72.7 percent (8-of-11) from the line for the contest in addition to dominating the battle on the glass with a 48-33 edge in rebounds. Oswego won the game at the line, going 17-of-23 (73.9 percent), in addition to forcing Plattsburgh State into 16 turnovers. The Lakers gave the ball away just five times all game.
 
Plattsburgh State falls to 8-14 overall (5-10 SUNYAC) with the loss and next visits SUNY Cortland tomorrow at 4 p.m. Oswego rises to 16-5 overall (10-4 SUNYAC) with the win and next hosts SUNY Potsdam tomorrow at 4 p.m.
 
Oswego jumped out to a 7-2 lead early before a 10-2 Cardinal run, which was capped off by a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Marlon Todd (Bronx, N.Y./Eagle Academy), handed Plattsburgh State a 12-9 advantage. The two teams traded points until the Lakers netted eight unanswered points to take a 39-31 lead with 1:16 left in the first half. Bernhard hit a 3-pointer with 24 seconds remaining to trim the gap to 39-34 heading into the locker rooms.
 
While the Lakers led by as many as five points in the early going of the second half, the Cardinals used an 8-2 surge to take a 45-44 lead. Freshman center Cameron Ness (Clintondale, N.Y./Highland) completed the run by converting on a put-back attempt. Both sides traded baskets until Oswego pulled ahead with six unanswered points, as back-to-back treys by sophomore guard Colby Moultrie handed the Lakers a 67-59 advantage. After Cox made a layup and Oswego's freshman forward Jamal Achille hit a jumper, Plattsburgh State pulled within four following a layup by Ness and a pair of free throws by DeAngelis.
 
Oswego's senior forward Joe Sullivan made a layup to swell the Laker advantage to 71-65, while DeAngelis made two free throws to make it a four-point game once again with 1:07 left. While the Cardinals came up with a defensive stop on the next possession, the Lakers forced a turnover by applying pressure in transition, and the home team got the ball back with 42 seconds left. Oswego made its free throws down the stretch to hold on for a 75-69 victory.
 
For the Lakers, senior guard Brandan Gartland and Sullivan scored 22 and 21 points, respectively, while Moultrie drained 14 points in 11 minutes coming off the bench. Sullivan, Gartland and junior guard Liam Sanborn combined for 16 assists, while Gartland came up with four steals.