PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's basketball team fell at home Friday evening against Oswego State in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) matchup, 80-67. After trailing by as many as 14 the Cardinals came within six points with less than three minutes to play but ultimately were not able to overcome the Lakers.  

Franklin Infante (East Rockaway, N.Y. / East Rockaway) had a great shooting night for the Cardinals scoring a season-high 24 points on 9 of 15 shooting at 60.0% and going a perfect 4 for 4 at the line to lead all scorers. Infante also grabbed six rebounds and came away with one block and one steal. Kevin Tabb (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) went a perfect 6 of 6 from the line as he went for 14 points and had five rebounds. Dylan Trombley (Moriah, N.Y. / Moriah) was also in double figures for the Cards as he poured in 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Tim Thomas (Manhattan, N.Y. / Commonwealth Academy (Mass.)), Willard Anderson Jr. (Buffalo, N.Y. / East), and Sasha Vidrini (Trieste, Italy / Liceo Rogazionisti) were battling on the boards as they all came away with six rebounds as Thomas had five points and Anderson Jr. four.

For the Lakers, Ahkee Anderson led his team in points with 21. The Lakers' next leading scorer was Jeremiah Sparks with 17.  

The Lakers outshot the Cardinals going a solid 42.3% from the field while the Cardinals only shot 35.8% from the field. The Lakers got help from the three ball as they made 8 of 24 at 33.3% and the Cardinals made 5 of 18 at 27.8%. It was a low turnover game as the Cardinals only had nine turnovers tying their lowest of the season and the Lakers 10 however the Cardinals only came away with 4 points off of those turnovers and the Lakers 13. The Lakers outrebounded the Cardinals 51-39 as both teams were able to get 10 second-chance points.

Plattsburgh moves to 10-10 overall (7-6 SUNYAC) and are back in action at home tomorrow, Feb. 3 as they tip off with Cortland at 4 pm. Oswego moves to 19-1 overall (13-0 SUNYAC) and will travel to Potsdam tomorrow, Feb. 3 for a 4 pm tip-off.

Cartier Bowman opened the first half with a layup followed by an Infante three and layup. Sparks made a three that tied the game at 5 after two minutes of action had passed. The lead changed hands again as Anderson made a jumper, Thomas a three, and Anderson a three that made the score 10-8 Lakers with a little over 15 minutes to play. The Cardinals regained the lead on an Ikechukwu Ezike (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Paul Robeson) jumper that made the score 16-15 at the 11:37 mark. A Kaleb Cook layup gave the Lakers the lead right back as they stretched their lead to nine points before an and-one from Infante made the score 25-19 with less than seven minutes to play. At the 1:52 mark, the Lakers took their largest lead of the game so far (12) but the Cardinals ended the second half on a 9-3 run that made the score 37-31 Lakers at halftime.

Sparks opened the second half with a three to which Trombley responded with a three of his own. At the 15:03 mark, the Lakers extended their lead back to double digits. The Cardinals cut the lead to single digits multiple times at the 14:35 mark, the 13:47 mark, and 12:51 mark but each time the Lakers responded and pushed their lead back to double-digits. At the 11:19 mark, the Lakers took their largest lead of the game (14) on a Bowman layup that made the score 60-46. A 6-0 run by the Cardinals cut that lead to eight but the Lakers responded once again and the lead was 10 after two free throws from Cook. At the 6:24 mark, the Lakers extended their lead to 14 again. An 11-3 run for the Cardinals from the 6:16 mark until the 2:59 mark cut the lead to six and made the score 71-65 Lakers but a three from Anderson and a layup from Sparks cushioned the Lakers' lead as they went on to win 80-67.