PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Despite outscoring Middlebury 50-42 in the second half, the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team fell, 92-89, in a non-conference showdown against Middlebury on Tuesday night at Memorial Hall. The Cardinals had four players in double-figures, paced by senior forward Irwayne Connell Jr. (Monroe CC / Saint Thomas Aquinas) with a career-high and game-high 26 points to go with a game-high eight rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.

Junior guard Elijah Morris (Mount Vernon, N.Y. / Mount Vernon) also had a 20-point performance and added three rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Jaiden Gladney (Charlestown, W. Va. / Jefferson) and Reem Welch (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) finished with 11 and 19 points, respectively. Gladney also picked up five rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Welch added seven rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Khalil Screen (Providence, R.I. / Classical) contributed eight points, a game-high eight rebounds, and three assists to the overall effort.

For the Panthers, Ian Murray led the team in scoring and assists with 19 points and five assists. Kuba Cwalina (14 points), Evan Flaks (13 points), and Edward Witherington (10 points) all netted double figures.

Overall, for the game, the Cardinals shot the ball well, shooting 45.3% from the floor and 47.6% from behind the arc, knocking down 10 three-pointers. The Panthers had a good shooting night as well, shooting slightly better from the field at 49.3% but shot 37.5% from the three-point line. The Cardinals came up short in battle on the glass (43-39) but had the edge in second-chance points (15-13). While the Cardinals committed fewer turnovers, Middlebury had more points off turnovers with eight to the Cardinals' seven.

Play began quickly in the first half as a Connell Jr. jumper was followed by a 13-0 run from Middlebury as the Panthers took a 16-4 lead at the 15:45 mark. A layup from Morris ended the Panthers' run, but Plattsburgh still trailed by double-digits until Connell Jr. nailed a three-pointer with 13:00 to go and made the score 23-14. Both teams went back and forth until a 7-0 burst from Plattsburgh, led by Morris with five points, cut the deficit to 29-25. The Cardinals kept fighting, trimming the deficit to one after a layup from Screen, but Middlebury closed the half on a 10-0 run, sending Plattsburgh into the break trailing 50-39.

Middlebury pushed its lead to as high as 18 before a 6-0 burst, featuring four points from Gladney, made the score 59-50 at the 15:04 mark. Middlebury kept answering, rebuilding a double-digit lead before a three-pointer from Morris and a layup from Screen made the score 60-55. Every time Plattsburgh mounted a counter, Middlebury answered, putting in back-to-back baskets to push their lead to 77-67 with 7:23 to go. Late in the game, Plattsburgh pulled within six, but two Middlebury free throws stretched their lead to 92-84, and despite a three-pointer from Connell Jr. and a layup at the buzzer from Welch, the Cardinals ultimately fell 92-89.

Plattsburgh State falls to 2-3 with the loss and is back in action next Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. when the team hosts Fredonia in its State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) opener. Middlebury moves to 3-1 and next hosts RPI on Sunday, Nov. 30.