NEWBURGH, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz men's basketball team held a 34-32 lead at halftime and ended up overcoming a hot streak by Mount Saint Mary College in the second half, but the Hawks ended up falling, 70-63, to the Knights in non-conference action at the Kaplan Center on Tuesday evening.
 
The Hawks stayed in the game due largely to their 47.1 percent (24-of-51) shooting from the floor on the contest, but the Knights held a slim 38-36 advantage in rebounds and held New Paltz without a 3-point field goal in the second half.
 
New Paltz drops to 1-1 overall with the loss and next competes at the Williams Tournament from Friday-Saturday, Nov. 20-21, in Williamstown, Mass. The team's opening-round game will occur on Friday, Nov. 20, against the College of Mount Saint Vincent at 6 p.m. Mount Saint Mary rises to 1-0 with the victory and next competes at the Elmira College Tournament from Friday-Saturday, Nov. 20-21, in Elmira, N.Y.
 
The two teams traded points for most of the first half before the Hawks achieved their high-water mark in the contest during a two-minute stretch toward the end of the period, as New Paltz went on an 8-0 run. Junior center Taylor Mulvey (Rotterdam, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) sank two free throws to hand the visitors a 29-23 lead, their largest of the game. Mount Saint Mary went on a 9-5 run to close the half, but two free throws by junior guard Eric Regenbogen (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) allowed New Paltz to hold a 34-32 halftime lead.
 
The Hawks led during the early goings of the second half until an 8-0 Knight scoring spree staked the home team to a 46-40 advantage. Mount Saint Mary held a sizable lead until a 7-0 New Paltz spurt, which was capped off by a free throw by junior forward Brandon Guest (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville), handed the Hawks a 54-53 edge. That wound up being New Paltz's final lead of the game, as Mount Saint Mary kept the Hawks at arm's length down the stretch to close out the victory.
 
Senior guard Keegan Donovan (Groton, N.Y./Groton) led the Hawks with 13 points, four assists and three rebounds, while junior forward Andrew Seniuk (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) and Guest joined him in double figures with 10 points apiece. Senior forward/center Alex Perlman (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland) and senior guard/forward R.J. Rosa (North Branch, N.Y./Sullivan West) led New Paltz on the defensive end of the floor, posting four blocks and four steals, respectively. Perlman's four blocks served as a career-high.
 
For Mount Saint Mary, sophomore guard Daniel Wolff netted 16 points, while senior guard Stephen Steyer and sophomore guard/forward Gerard Nocera added 13 apiece. Steyer nearly completed the double-double with eight rebounds, while sophomore guard Tyler McDine dished out seven assists.