PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - Kevin Tabb (Brooklyn, N.Y./Thomas Jefferson) and Sasha Vidrini (Trieste, Italy/LiceoRogazionisti) each had career nights in the scoring column, helping power a second-half surge for the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team in an 80-70 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) win over Fredonia. Trailing by one at the half, the team outscored the Blue Devils 46-35 in the second half, helping the team to the season sweep over the visiting team from Fredonia.

Tabb registered a game-high 26 points for the Cardinals, surpassing his previous career high of 25 points against Skidmore back in November. Vidrini came off the bench and played just 12 minutes for Plattsburgh, but made them all count, scoring 14 points and grabbing four boards while also securing two steals. Franklin Infante (East Rockaway, N.Y./ East Rockaway) filled up the stat sheet as usual for Plattsburgh, contributing 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals in 34 minutes of action without a turnover. For the Blue Devils, A.J. Knight had 22 points to lead their scoring effort, shooting 50% from the field and hitting three three-pointers. 

The Cards shot the ball well in both halves, shooting nearly identical percentages to finish at an even 40% for the game. The team knocked down 10 three-pointers as well at a 32% clip, all while shooting 10-14 (71%) at the line. The Blue Devils shot the ball extremely well, as they hit 48% of their shots over the game. However, they turned the ball over 24 times, which in turn led to 21 fewer shot attempts for them compared to Plattsburgh. 

Plattsburgh improves to 9-13 (5-10 SUNYAC) with the win and still finds themselves alive in the race for the final playoff spot for the SUNYAC playoffs, but would have to jump two teams in the standings to make it in. They will host Buffalo State tomorrow, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. as they will look for their first-weekend sweep at home in the 2022-23 season. Fredonia falls to 2-19 (2-13 SUNYAC) on the year as they head to Potsdam tomorrow for another SUNYAC contest. 

The first half looked like the Cardinals would be the team in control early on, as Myles Jones (Alexandria, Va./Blue Ridge School) hit a three-point shot to put his team up 17-8 just after the 14-minute mark. The team would later go up by double-digits after an Infante layup with 10:26 to go in the first half. The Cardinals, however, then went cold from the field, allowing the Blue Devils to get right back into the game and rattle off a 21-6 run to go up by five points with 2:46 left in the half. The Cards were able to trim the lead as they closed the half, with Tabb knocking down a jump shot with just three seconds left in the period to put his team down 36-35.

The Cards came out slow in the second half, as Fredonia took their largest lead of the game at eight points within the first two and half minutes of the period. However, an Infante three woke up the Cardinal offense and crowd as they played close basketball for the next couple of minutes until Vidrini checked in with just under 11 minutes to go. Vidrini almost immediately tied the game, knocking down a three, which was closely followed by an Infante three that gave the Cards a lead they would not relinquish. Vidirini then proceeded to score or assist on the next three baskets as the Cards built a five-point advantage. The Cardinals continued to build their lead, as they were up 67-60 with 5:29 to go when Vidirini took over the next two minutes. The sophomore guard scored seven straight points, capped by a huge three that erupted the Memorial Hall crowd. Now leading by 12, the Cards went 6-8 from the line over the final two-plus minutes to close out the Blue Devils and pick up the 80-70 win.