NEW PALTZ, N.Y – The Plattsburgh State men's basketball team dropped a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) road game to New Paltz, 88-62, on Saturday evening. Senior guard Reem Welch (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) led the team with 17 points, five rebounds, and three steals.

Senior forward Khalil Screen (Providence, R.I. / Classical) had a solid outing, recording a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds to go with a pair of blocks and a steal. David McKnight Jr. (South Orange, N.J. / Columbia) finished with 10 points and three rebounds, while Irwayne Connell Jr. (Monroe CC / Saint Thomas Aquinas) chipped in seven points and five rebounds.

For the Hawks, LaMar Matthews led all players in scoring with 26 points to go with four rebounds and three steals. Trveor Amalfitaano contributed 20 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

Plattsburgh State shot 35.7% from the floor and 28.6% from three, compared to New Paltz's 47.3% and 37.5% from long range. The Hawks had the edge on the boards, 39-37, and controlled points off turnovers, 19-9. Plattsburgh made the most of their opportunities with a slight advantage in second-chance points, 13-12.

New Platz struck first as the opening half began, but Plattsburgh surged ahead to a 10-7 lead with 14:46 remaining after a three-pointer by Screen. The Hawks used a 9-0 run to get back in the game and take a 16-10 lead, but Welch responded with a three-pointer to make the score 16-13 at the 10:53 mark. The first half seesawed back and forth until the Hawks pulled ahead to a double-digit lead with 5:19 to play, eventually closing the half with a layup to take a 45-29 advantage into the break.

Welch scored the Cardinals' first points of the second half, but momentum stayed with the Hawks as New Paltz extended its lead to 62-35 with 13:55 to go. The Cardinals countered with back-to-back baskets from McKnight Jr. and Screen but couldn't string along any runs, still showing flashes of scoring down the stretch while dropping an 80-62 decision.

With the loss, Plattsburgh State drops to 8-7 (5-4 SUNYAC) and next travels to Potsdam on Tuesday, Jan. 27, for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.