PURCHASE, NY - The Wheelock College men's basketball team led No. 22 Plattsburgh State University with fewer than seven minutes remaining on Saturday during the consolation game of Manhattanville College's Castle Classic before falling, 86-69, in Kennedy Gymnasium. The Wildcats dropped to 1-2, while the Cardinals, who are ranked in the D3hoops.com poll, are now 2-1. Plattsburgh State qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament.
Senior Patsy DiNuzzo (Beaver, PA/Beaver) came off the Wheelock bench and recorded a career-high 17 points, shooting 5-for-6 from three-point range, as his three-point total also surpassed his prior best. Junior Max Kaim (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Cypress Bay) shot 7-for-9 while turning in 14 points and four assists in 16 minutes, and classmate Eric Rice (Woburn, MA/Woburn) had 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Junior Kyle Pierce (Burlington, MA/Burlington), who was named to the all-tournament team, added six assists for Wheelock, which committed only 11 turnovers while being narrowly outrebounded, 34-28.
Senior Steve Thomas (Plattsburgh, NY/Ellenburg Northern Adirondack) paced Plattsburgh State with 29 points and nine boards, shooting 6-for-9 from beyond the arc to lead the Cardinals' long-range effort, as 29 of Plattsburgh State's 62 shots came from three-point range. Classmate Chris Ruiz (Washington Heights, NY/Bronx St. Agnes) turned in 22 points and five assists, and senior Errol Daniyan (Coram, NY/Longwood) had 16 points and nine caroms.
The teams played through 12 lead changes and eight ties during the contest, with neither squad leading by more than seven points until fewer than four minutes remained. Ruiz's jumper at 18:59 of the second half capped a 7-0 run that put Plattsburgh State on top, 37-35, providing the first of six lead changes in a matter of 6:19. After the Cardinals twice went up by as many as four points, Wheelock forged ahead, 50-49, on a Kaim bucket at 12:40, extending its advantage to five twice and staying in front until fewer than seven minutes were left.
After sophomore Bashir Hudson (Jamaica Plain, MA/Weston) knocked down a jumper to provide the Wildcats a 62-59 edge with 7:10 to go, Thomas tied the game with a three 12 seconds later, and a Ruiz hoop at 6:16 gave the Cardinals the final lead. Senior Daniel Main (Hopedale, MA/Hopedale) scored to draw Wheelock within 66-64 with 4:46 showing on the clock, but Plattsburgh State scored 19 of the next 21 points in a matter of 3:28.
DiNuzzo went 4-for-4 from downtown in the opening half, playing a major role in Wheelock holding a 35-33 halftime edge over the nationally-ranked Cardinals. Rice scored four points during an 8-0 run that put the Wildcats ahead, 13-6, at 11:58, and DiNuzzo canned three threes during one 4:07 stretch, with the final two both breaking ties. His fourth triple of the stanza provided Wheelock a 35-30 cushion with 1:19 to go.
The Wildcats return home to face fellow Colleges of the Fenway institution Emmanuel College on Tuesday at 7 p.m.