NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – With some help from a Buffalo State loss earlier in the day, the State University of New York at New Paltz men's basketball team (10-13, 8-8 SUNYAC) rose to sixth in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) standings, as the Hawks downed SUNY Fredonia (6-15, 2-13 SUNYAC), 98-74, on Saturday night in SUNYAC action at the Hawk Center. Only the top six teams will make the SUNYAC Men's Basketball Championship Tournament in 2013.

New Paltz torched the nets from three-point range, shooting at a 64.7 percent (11-of-17) clip from distance for the game. The Hawks also shot 53.2 percent (33-of-62) from the floor, and they scored 55 first-half points. Meanwhile, Fredonia was hurt by 40.4 percent (23-of-57) shooting from the field, and the Blue Devils shot 22.7 percent (5-of-22) from distance. New Paltz held a 38-30 edge on the glass, and each team turned the ball over 16 times.

The Hawks were led by senior forward Matt Devine (Manalapan, N.J./Freehold Township), who scored a season-high 32 points in just 24 minutes of action. He achieved that mark efficiently, going 12-of-15 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the line. Three other New Paltz student-athletes joined Devine in double figures. Sophomore guard Joe Hulbert (Delanson, N.Y./Duanesburg Central) netted a career-high 14 points coming off the bench, while junior guard Andrew Joseph (Brooklyn, N.Y./High School of Art and Design) poured in 10 in reserve duty as well. Senior guard/forward Shereef Taylor (Hyde Park, N.Y./Franklin D. Roosevelt) also reached double figures with 12 points.

For Fredonia, Tyrone Clark led the way with 18 points and five assists, while Robert Lyles (13) and John Kovach (11) each achieved double-digit scoring figures, too. Kovach's total came off the bench. Dalton Kashmer just missed a double-double with nine points and seven rebounds.

Fredonia never led in this lopsided affair, as the Hawks opened up a 33-12 lead in the first 9:26 of play. The Blue Devils would trim the deficit to 17 later on in the half, but New Paltz went on an 18-8 tear to the close out the stanza. A made jumper by senior guard Shalik Jenkins (Brooklyn, N.Y./Boys and Girls) with 31 seconds left in the half gave the Hawks a 30-point lead—their largest of the night.

Fredonia scored eight straight points to begin the second half, but New Paltz went on a 5-0 run thanks to three Devine points, and the Hawks wound up matching their largest lead of the evening off a made free throw by Devine at 14:28 of the second half. Not too long after that point, the Hawk bench received playing time, and New Paltz cruised down the stretch to ice the victory.

New Paltz faces a tough task on Tuesday, Feb. 12, as it takes on league-leading and nationally-ranked No. 24 SUNY Cortland in Cortland, N.Y. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m.