PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 24 ranked Plattsburgh State men's basketball team used a 59-point second half and stout defense down the stretch to outlast Oneonta 92-87 in SUNYAC play Friday night at Memorial Hall.
 
Four players scored in double figures in the winning effort, with all four notching at least 10 points in the second. Senior Kyle Richardson led the way with 22 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
 
Freshman Jonathan Patron was a force in the paint, as he totaled 10 rebounds by halftime. The Huntington, N.Y., product finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds.
 
Rounding out the impressive offensive outbursts were sophomore Eli Bryant and senior Edward Correa, who finished with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
 
The Red Dragons came out shooting well; making four of their first six shots, including two triples from Jack Dignan. Jackson Zuvic connected on a three to give Oneonta a 15-4 lead an even five minutes in, causing Plattsburgh State to call a timeout.
 
Patron would enter the game following the timeout, and made his presence in the post known immediately. The first-year player grabbed two offensive rebounds on his first possession before sinking a short jumper in the paint.
 
Correa and Bryant then connected on back-to-back threes to get Plattsburgh State to within three points of the Red Dragons.
 
Just past the halfway point of the opening half, Oneonta went on its second effective offense spurt, going on an 11-2 run to re-up its lead to double digits.
 
The Cardinals turned things around as things headed towards the final stretch of the first.
 
Trailing 32-20 with just under six minutes showing on the clock, Plattsburgh State executed a 13-4 run to trail by just three at the break, 36-33.
 
In what was an electric second half featuring high energy from both sides, Oneonta came out as sharp as it had in the first. The Red Dragons, who finished the evening shooting 43.3-percent (13-of-30) from beyond the arc, netted a trio of long distance shots in the first three minutes of the final frame, jumping back out to a 12 point lead.
 
Richardson, however, commanded another Plattsburgh State comeback, highlighted by an eerily similar play he made two weeks ago against Geneseo. The Baldwin, N.Y., native blocked a jump shot, grabbed the rebound, and drove the length of the court, throwing down a one-handed slam to jolt the Memorial Hall crowd.
 
The Cardinals pulled even at 55 points apiece just prior to the halfway point of the second after a Richardson layup. Following a turnover on the other end, Edward Correa swished a three, giving Plattsburgh State its first lead since the opening possession of the game.
 
Showing no signs of letting up, the Cardinals continued to build their lead thanks to a dominant showing from Patron, who netted 14 points in the second half, going 6-of-8 from the field.
 
Eli Bryant drilled a three with 7:35 left to shift Plattsburgh State's lead to 10 points. Oneonta kept pace, though thanks to a Kareem Williams jumper and put-back dunk from Mike McElroy.
 
Down the stretch, it looked as though Bryant would sink the Red Dragons as the sophomore scored 10 of the Cardinals' last 19 points. Oneonta wouldn't go away lightly, though, and made the contest into a nail biter for the Memorial Hall faithful.
 
Trailing 87-81 with 31 seconds left and out of timeouts, the Red Dragons saw Dignan and Lawrence Coleman connect on back-to-back threes to cut it to a one-point deficit with 17 seconds remaining.
 
Bryant would make a pair of free throws with nine ticks left, making the score 90-87 in favor of the Cardinals. Dignan would try for his fifth triple of the game to send it to OT, but it wouldn't go, and Plattsburgh State held on for the close victory.
 
The Cardinals improve to 16-3 on the season and are 11-1 within the SUNYAC. Oneonta drops to 12-7 overall and 7-5 in conference tilts.
 
Saturday afternoon will see Plattsburgh State go for its 13^th win in its last 14 games when it welcomes in New Paltz to Memorial Hall. The SUNYAC contest is scheduled to tip-off at 4 p.m.