GALLOWAY, N.J. -- The Bridgewater State University men's basketball team dropped a 78-70 decision to Plattsburgh State in the second game of the Stockton Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday night at the Sports Center on the campus of Richard Stockton College.
Although Plattsburgh State shot 48.4 percent from the field in triumph, it was forced to work through an exceptionally sluggish offensive stretch in the opening stages of the tilt. The Cardinals struggled mightily to put points on the board, missing their first 15 field goal attempts of the non-conference bout.
Bridgewater State was able to build up an advantage of as many as nine points, but the Cardinals were able to keep the Bears from taking a double-digit lead.
With 4:22 to go in the opening frame, Michael Rector canned a long-range basket to give the Bears their final lead of the bout, 19-17.
A three-point play by Shavar Fields was the start of a 9-0 surge by the Cardinals which culminated by a Xavier Thomas dunk that made matters 28-19 in favor of the Cardinals with 1:51 to go in the first half.
A back-and-forth second frame, gave Bridgewater State the opportunity to come back and knot matters at 39 with 13:01 to go, but consecutive three-pointers by Shamoy McIntoshand Edward Correa allowed Plattsburgh to put some distance on the scoreboard.
A 13-4 surge saw the Cardinals balloon their lead to 12 (55-43) with 8:22 to go in the game.
A second-half shooting pace of 65.6 percent (21-of-32) allowed the Cardinals to increase their lead to as many as 17 points before the Bears bridged the sizable gap with their long-range assault.
Three Plattsburgh State turnovers in the final minute of play translated to a trio of three-pointers off the hand of Ryan Spencer as the Bears trimmed the Cardinals' lead to eight, 76-68, with 24 seconds left. But time would run out on the Bears who dropped to 0-2 on the young season.
Fields finished with a team-high 17 points on six-of-seven field goal shooting as well as eight rebounds to lead a balanced Plattsburgh State attack. McIntosh added 15 and the only blocked shot for the Cardinals (1-0) while Moody finished with 12. Perez posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Cardinals shot 2-of-16 (12.5 percent) from long range and 14-of-21 (66.7 percent) from the foul stripe while outrebounding the Bears 40-30 and forcing their foes into 23 turnovers.
Michael Lofton came up with game highs in points (18) and rebounds (11) for Bridgewater State as he notched his first double-double of the season. Lofton added four assists and a pair of blocked shots. Kyle Gibson added 14 points as he was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
The Bears shot 46% (23-50) from the floor, 35% (7-20) from behind the arc and 81% (17-21) at the free throw line.
The Bears will look to get Head Coach Joe Farroba (299-258, .537) his 300th career coaching victory next Thursday when they travel to MIT for a seven o'clock game with the Engineers.