BROCKPORT, N.Y. – Malick Sylla exploded in the second half to score his collegiate career high as The College at Brockport men's basketball team hosted State University of New York Athletic Conference foes Fredonia State University on Tuesday, blowing past the Blue Devils, 97-61.
The Golden Eagles improve to 15-3 on the year and 10-1 in the SUNYAC while the Blue Devils are now 8-11 on the season and have a 5-7 league-mark.
Sylla led all scorers with 25 points, 23 of which came in the second half for his Brockport career high. The freshman shot 64.2 percent from the floor on the day, knocking down 7-of-11 from downtown. Sylla wasn't the only Golden Eagle to reach double figures, as Hamed Shamseldin turned in 21, with six steals and five assists. Devonn Gavin also hit double digits, with 17 points to go with three assists. Marcus Blythers added 10 points and picked up three steals.
Brockport saw the Blue Devils open play with a bucket, but answered with a 14-3 run to demand the lead by the 15-minute mark. Six different Golden Eagles worked in scores, with Matthew Smith starting things off in the lane. Cordell Torres and Blythers each split the defense for scores in the paint, while Shamseldin, David Clark and Mitch Cote all chipped in buckets for the 16-5 lead by 14:11.
The Green and Gold kept the offense churning, with back-to-back scores off a Devonn Gavin triple and a statement Justin Summers dunk that widened the gap to 17 with just over eight minutes to play.
Brockport used the three-point line to build on the lead, with back-to-back scores on the floor from three-point range from Shamseldin and Sylla to push to their largest lead of the half, 44-25 with just under two minutes to play. The Blue Devils knocked down a pair of free throws, as the Golden Eagles took a 44-27 lead into the break.
Shamseldin led the Golden Eagles at the half with 12 points and dished out five assists and five steals, while Gavin added nine. Brockport shot a cool 53.1 percent from the floor in the opening stanza and knocked down four triples.
The second half opened with some back-and-forth action, but it didn't take long for the Golden Eagles to take control. Head coach Greg Dunne's squad posted a 22-0 run, behind tough defense and savvy offense. Blythers got the scoring spurt started with three straight scores, while Gavin added a pair of threes. Summers netted a fast-break layup to push the Green and Gold to a 71-33 lead by the 12:34 mark.
In complete control of the contest, the Golden Eagles kept their foot on the gas, as Sylla knocked down back-to-back triples to start his own scoring streak. Of Brockport's final 26 points, Sylla accounted for 23, with seven buckets from three-point range. His final triple pushed the Golden Eagles to their final score, a strong 97-61 win.
Brockport controlled the contest in all categories, with a 42-34 edge in points in the paint, 18 fast-break points, 20 second chance points and rebounds (39-38). The Green and Gold forced 25 Fredonia turnovers, which they turned in for 42 points.
The Golden Eagles will hit the road for their next two contests, as they open the weekend at Oswego on Friday, Jan. 27 in a battle of the league's leaders. The Green and Gold will finish their road trip at SUNY Cortland on Saturday, Jan. 28.
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