GENESEO, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz men's basketball team overcame an 11-point halftime deficit and led by as many as four points in the second half, but the Hawks ended up dropping a hard-fought 71-67 decision to State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) foe SUNY Geneseo on Saturday afternoon at Schrader Gymnasium.
 
After trailing, 39-28, at the half, New Paltz went on a 17-6 run, and a 3-pointer by freshman guard/forward Nick Paquette (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) tied the score at 45-all. A 7-0 Geneseo surge put the Knights back out in front, but the Hawks tied the tally once again on the strength of a seven-point tear, with a layup by junior forward Andrew Seniuk (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) leveling the score at 52-all.
 
The two teams traded baskets until New Paltz went on a 7-0 run, and a pair of free throws by senior guard Keegan Donovan (Groton, N.Y./Groton) handed the Hawks a 59-55 lead with 5:59 left in regulation. Sophomore guard Kevin Crockett knocked down a 3-pointer to pull the Knights within one, but two free throws by senior forward Brandon Guest (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville) put New Paltz up by three. After junior guard Justin Ringen tied the score with a trey, sophomore guard Charlie Zaepfel put Geneseo on top, 64-61, with a shot from beyond the arc with 2:05 remaining in regulation. Paquette leveled the score on the Hawks' next possession with a shot from deep, but the Knights closed out the game with a 7-3 spurt to pull out the victory.
 
New Paltz drops to 1-10 overall (0-5 SUNYAC) with the loss and next hosts Catskill Cup rival SUNY Oneonta on Friday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m. Geneseo rises to 7-3 overall (1-2 SUNYAC) with the win and next visits SUNY Cortland on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at 6 p.m.
 
Paquette led the Hawks with 15 points, while Seniuk and sophomore guard Dylan Balducci (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) added 12 points apiece. Balducci's total served as a career-high, while Guest also reached double figures with 10 points. Seniuk just missed a double-double with seven rebounds, while senior guard/forward R.J. Rosa (North Branch, N.Y./Sullivan West) grabbed six rebounds and came up with three steals.

For Geneseo, Ringen scored a game-high 19 points, while junior guard John Decker came off the bench to score 14 points. Crockett and sophomore forward Jordi Menkhorst netted 11 points apiece.
 
New Paltz shot 41.1 percent (23-of-56) from the floor for the game—including a 40 percent (10-of-25) clip from beyond the arc—and held a 34-33 margin in rebounds. The Hawks also shot 91.7 percent (11-of-12) from the free-throw line. Geneseo shot 41.8 percent (23-of-55) from the field and 92.9 percent (13-of-14) from the line.
 
The Hawks led by as many as five points in the first half, but a 7-0 Knight scoring spree put the home team on top by two. The two teams traded points until Geneseo went on a 13-2 run to close the half and take a 39-28 lead into the locker rooms.