FREDONIA, N.Y. – Despite a career-high 23 points from first-year guard/forward Nate Pondexter Jr. (Washington, D.C. / Archbishop Carroll), the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team dropped a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) contest against Fredonia, falling 90-82 on Friday night. Pondexter Jr. led all players in points with his new career-high and also picked up four rebounds and three assists on the night.

The Cardinals had four players in double figures as Kevin Tabb (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) had a solid showing as well with 14 points, four assists, and two rebounds. Kareem Welch (Brooklyn. N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) had an all-around performance falling one rebound short of a triple-double with 12 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds as he led the Cardinals in rebounding and assists. Damari Johnson (Binghamton, N.Y. / Johnson City) contributed a career-high 11 points while Franklin Infante (East Rockaway, N.Y. / East Rockaway) had nine points, two rebounds, and two assists and Ikechukwu Ezike (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Paul Robeson) had seven points and eight rebounds.

For the Blue Devils, the team had four players in double figures led by Brandon Kulakowski with 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds and Tyrese Fuller with 13 points, a team-high nine assists, and six rebounds.

The Cardinals shot well on the night, shooting 41.8% from the field and 42.9% from the three making 9 of 21 while the Blue Devils shot an efficient 50.8% from the field and only 28.8% from the three making 5 of 18. Both teams nearly took the same amount of free three throws as the Cardinals made 17 of 27 at only 63.0% and the Blue Devils made 25-30 at 83.3%. The Blue Devils won the rebounding battle 42-30 and had 21 second-chance points while the Cardinals only had 11. The Cardinals recorded 17 points off turnovers and the Blue Devils recorded 14 points.

Plattsburgh State moves to 4-6 (1-2 SUNYAC) and is back in action tomorrow, Jan. 11 at Buffalo State with a 3 p.m. tip-off. Fredonia moves to 3-8 (1-3 SUNYAC) and next hosts Potsdam tomorrow, Jan. 11.

The Cardinals controlled the first half and didn't take long to jump out to a quick 10-5 lead at the 16:28 mark powered by five points from Pondexter Jr. A quick 5-0 Fredonia run made the score 15-12 Cardinals, however, the Cardinals responded with a 7-0 burst including a three from Ezike and two layups from Welch that made the score 22-12 at the 10:46 mark. Another run for Plattsburgh pushed the Cardinals' lead to 27-14. At the 5:26 mark, the Cardinals took their largest lead of the game at 16 when Pondexter Jr. knocked down two free throws that made the score 36-20. Back-to-back baskets from the Blue Devils cut the lead to 38-27 but it was Pondexter Jr. again with four straight points that made the score 42-27. Johnson scored the Cardinals' last four points of the half before Amir Ross ended the half with a layup and made the score 47-34 Cardinals at halftime.

The second half saw the Blue Devils battle back as they outscored Plattsburgh 56-35 and the Cardinals' offense couldn't make up the points late in the game. The Blue Devils got on the board first scoring back-to-back layups, however, Tabb responded with back-to-back three-pointers and extended Plattsburgh's lead to 53-38 at the 18:08 mark. An 8-0 run by Fredonia cut the Cardinal's lead to single digits and made the score 54-48 at the 15:36 mark. Nearly halfway through the second half the Blue Devils tied the game momentarily after scoring back-to-back baskets, but Johnson knocked down back-to-back three-pointers and put Plattsburgh back ahead 63-57 at the 11:38 mark. Both teams battled closely as Fredonia took their first lead of the game when Kulakowski knocked down a jumper and made the score 64-62 Blue Devils. The closely contested game saw two more lead changes before Fredonia took control 75-70 at the 5:41 mark. The Cardinals came within one-point multiple times as Fredonia led 83-80 at the 1:57 mark. The Plattsburgh offense had chances to cut into the lead but ultimately fell 90-82.