NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The fifth-seeded Plattsburgh State men's basketball team is set to travel to fourth-seeded New Paltz for a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament First Round matchup at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Hawk Center. The Cardinals are aiming to reach the SUNYAC Championship game for the first time since the 2017-18 season, when they captured the title with a victory over Oneonta. In their most recent postseason appearance, Plattsburgh fell to New Paltz in a semifinal matchup.

TICKET PRICING: General admission tickets are $7, while tickets for children (ages 5-12) are $5. Seniors (65+) and SUNYAC students with valid identification will be admitted free of charge. Ticket sales will begin one hour before tip-off at 6:00 p.m. at the door. There are no advance sales, and cash is the only accepted form of payment.

ABOUT THE SERIES: Plattsburgh State and New Paltz have met 143 times since their first matchup on Jan. 15, 1927. The Cardinals hold a 98-45 series advantage, including a 60-30 record in conference play, and their longest win streak in the series spans 13 games from 1954-1960. Plattsburgh has historically been strong at home (56-17) while remaining competitive on the road (42-28).

The most recent meeting came on Feb. 20, 2026, when Plattsburgh fell in an 80-79 heartbreaker. The two teams also met in last year's postseason semifinals at New Paltz, where the Hawks earned a 74-72 victory in a tightly contested game. This rematch sets the stage for another competitive conference tournament showdown.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS: Plattsburgh State finished the 2025-26 regular season 12-12 (9-9 SUNYAC) and posted a 7-6 record at home. This marks the Cardinals' third consecutive SUNYAC Tournament appearance. Last season, they defeated Morrisville 69-66 in the first round before falling 74-72 to New Paltz in the semifinals.

As a team, the Cardinals average 76.8 points per game (fifth in the conference) while shooting 42.1% from the field and 69.6% from the free-throw line (third in the conference). Plattsburgh ranks second in the conference in turnovers per game, taking excellent care of the basketball, and leads the league in offensive rebounds per game (14.2), creating valuable second-chance opportunities.

Plattsburgh features three players averaging double figures, led by senior guard Reem Welch (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson). Welch leads the conference and ranks third nationally in scoring at 26.3 points per game. He shoots 53.3% from the field (fifth in the conference) and 81.9% from the free-throw line (first in the league). In addition to his scoring, Welch leads the team and the conference in assists per game (4.0) and averages a team-high and conference third-best 8.2 rebounds per game. He also leads the league with 3.5 offensive rebounds per game.
 
Junior guard Elijah Morris (Mount Vernon, N.Y. / Mount Vernon) averages 12.2 PPG, while sophomore guard Jaiden Gladney (Charlestown, W. Va. / Jefferson) adds 11.0 PPG. Senior forward Khalil Screen (Providence, R.I. / Classical) contributes 9.6 PPG and ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage at 57.1%. Screen averages 7.9 rebounds per game, which ranks fifth in the conference, including 2.7 offensive rebounds per game (fourth in the league).

Defensively, the Cardinals rank first in the conference in blocks per game (3.9) and limit opponents to 43.0% shooting, which ranks fifth in the league. Plattsburgh outrebounds opponents by 2.3 boards per game, placing fourth in the conference.

The defense is anchored by Welch on the perimeter and Screen in the paint. Welch leads the team in steals at 1.7 per game, while Screen ranks second on the team with 14 blocks and leads the team in defensive rebounds per game (5.1). Junior guard/forward David McKnight Jr. (South Orange, N.J. / Columbia) has added 12 blocks this season, and Gladney averages 1.3 steals per game.

Seventh-year head coach Mike Blaine will make his third consecutive SUNYAC Tournament appearance. He is seeking his second postseason win and first championship game appearance with Plattsburgh after earning a first-round victory over Morrisville last season before falling in the semifinals.

ABOUT THE HAWKS: New Paltz finished the 2025-26 regular season 13-12 (11-7 SUNYAC), closing conference play with a 94-90 win over Potsdam. The Hawks finished 7-6 at home and also posted a winning record on the road. In their most recent postseason appearance, they fell 61-52 to Cortland in the SUNYAC Championship game, marking their second straight appearance in the title game.

As a team, the Hawks average 73.6 PPG while shooting 43.1% from the field (fifth in the conference). They average 13.3 assists per game, ranking fifth in the league.

New Paltz is led offensively by LaMar Matthews and Isaiah Rivera, who both average over 14 points per game. Matthews leads the team and ranks fifth in the conference at 15.9 PPG, while Rivera averages 14.9 PPG. Trevor Amalfitano and Mo Sylla also average double figures, contributing 12.4 and 11.4 PPG, respectively. Thomas Keane leads the team in assists per game (3.0) as the primary facilitator.

Defensively, New Paltz ranks second in the conference in opponent field goal percentage (40.8%) and forces 16.0 turnovers per game, good for fourth in the league. Rivera anchors the paint with 5.8 defensive rebounds per game and 1.1 blocks per game, while Keane leads the team in steals at 1.6 per game.

Ninth-year head coach Keith Kenney guided the Hawks to their first-ever SUNYAC championship in the 2023-24 season. Kenney will be making his fourth SUNYAC Tournament appearance and is coming off back-to-back championship game appearances in 2024 and 2025.

WHAT'S NEXT: The winner of the Plattsburgh State-New Paltz matchup will advance to face top-seeded Cortland in the semifinals, regardless of the outcome of the Oswego State-Morrisville game. Cortland finished 17-1 in conference play, with its only loss coming against Oneonta.

The winner of the Oswego State-Morrisville matchup will face second-seeded Oneonta. Cortland, as the top seed, will host both the semifinals and the championship game.