PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Freshman forward Erik Salo (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) scored a career-high 25 points on 15-of-18 shooting from the line and 5-of-8 shooting from the floor, but the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team fell to Buffalo State, 89-82, in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Hall.
 
Salo, who knocked down 10 of his 15 made free throws in the first half, also grabbed eight rebounds. Junior guard Travis Cox (Brooklyn, N.Y./Frederick Douglass Academy) posted his fourth double-double of the year with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while freshman guard Axel Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./New Paltz), freshman center Cameron Ness (Clintondale, N.Y./Highland) and senior guard/forward Jeremy Eisenman (New York, N.Y./NEST+m) all netted nine points.
 
Plattsburgh State nearly overcame a large deficit, as Buffalo State led 73-62 with 9:58 to play in regulation. After a made jumper by Buffalo State's junior guard Sheldon Adams gave the Bengals a 79-72 lead, the Cardinals netted six unanswered points, and Rodriguez nailed a jumper with 3:32 left to pull Plattsburgh State within one. Buffalo State surged ahead with seven straight points and held off the Cardinals down the stretch to pull out an 89-82 win.
 
The Cardinals slip to 8-13 overall (5-9 SUNYAC) with the loss and next visit Oswego State on Friday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. The Bengals rise to 4-14 overall (2-12 SUNYAC) with the win and next visit SUNY Geneseo on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m.
 
The lead changed hands five times in the first 1:30 of the game, the last of which resulted in a 5-0 Cardinal run that included a layup by Salo and a 3-pointer by Rodriguez. Buffalo State eventually regained the advantage on a 3-pointer by freshman guard Argjend Imeri with 14:51 left in the first half, and the lead changed three times before Buffalo State went ahead for good with a 9-2 tear.
 
Buffalo State led by as many as 13 points late in the first half, but Plattsburgh State battled back with an 8-0 surge. Two free throws by Salo with 27 seconds left trimmed the gap to 49-44 heading into the locker rooms.
 
The Cardinals went on an 8-5 run to start off the second half, and Salo buried a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 54-52. Senior forward Kay Grant scored four unanswered points for Buffalo State to balloon the advantage to six before a Salo layup and a Cox 3-pointer made it a one-point game. Plattsburgh State pulled within a point once more following a trey by senior guard Nick DeAngelis (West Milford, N.J./West Milford), but the Bengals countered with a 10-0 scoring spree.
 
Plattsburgh State shot 43.5 percent (27-of-62) from the floor and 78.6 percent (22-of-28) from the line for the game, while Buffalo State was 50 percent (32-of-64) from the field. The Bengals finished with a slight 38-36 advantage in rebounds.
 
Adams led Buffalo State with 27 points and seven assists, while junior guard Jordan Christopher and Grant netted 23 and 20 points, respectively.