PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – After Ikechukwu Ezike (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Paul Robeson) made a clutch layup that gave the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team a 75-74 lead with less than five seconds left, Nicholas Cortez made a three-pointer from just inside half-court to give Potsdam the 77-75 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) win. Ezike totaled 13 points to go with a team-high seven rebounds, a game-high four blocks, three steals, and two assists.

Junior guard Kareem Welch (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) keyed the Cardinal offense with 14 points and grabbed four rebounds. Senior guard Kevin Tabb (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Thomas Jefferson) was also in double figures with 12 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Jeremiah Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y. East New York Family Academy) and Franklin Infante (East Rockaway, N.Y. / East Rockaway) had solid nights with nine and eight points respectively while Smith grabbed four rebounds and recorded a block and a steal and Infante had three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. First-year guard/forward Nate Pondexter Jr. (Washington, D.C. / Archbishop Carroll) contributed seven points and three rebounds in the overall effort.

For the Bears, Cortez led all players with a game-high 27 points including his three-pointer at the buzzer. Parker Kelly contributed 20 points, Khalil Screen was in double figures with 12, and Mohammad Sylla led all players in assists with 10 and rebounds with nine.

Both teams shot well on the night with Potsdam shooting slightly better, shooting 46.7% from the field while the Cardinals were 64.3% from the field. The Cardinals only shot 17.6% from the three-point line while the Bears had a strong contribution from three making 12 of 24 at 50.0%. The Cardinals were very efficient at the stripe making 10 of 13 at 76.9% while the Bears made 9 of 14 at 64.3%. Both teams finished the night with 35 rebounds, but the Bears had a slight advantage in second-chance points 12-11. Plattsburgh had fewer turnovers on the night and took advantage of Potsdam's turnovers, recording 22 points off turnovers to the Bears' 18.

Plattsburgh State falls to 9-8 (6-4 SUNYAC) and is back in action on Friday, Jan. 31 when they host Cortland for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Potsdam moves to 3-14 (3-7 SUNYAC) and is back in action on Friday, Jan. 31 when they host Morrisville for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

The first quarter saw Potsdam jump out to an 8-2 lead at the 17:43 mark and hold the lead until a layup from Ladan Graves (Pelham, N.Y. / Pelham Memorial) and a three-pointer from Welch tied the game at 17 at the 12:27 mark. Potsdam quickly responded with a 5-0 run of their own but after back-to-back layups from Plattsburgh, the score was 22-21 Bears at the 10:31 mark. A 6-0 burst that saw layups from Sasha Vidrini (Trieste, Italy / Liceo Rogazionisti), Ezike, and Welch gave Plattsburgh a 32-28 lead at the 5:01 mark momentarily until Potsdam knocked down back-to-back three-pointers and took a 34-32 lead at the 4:14 mark. After both teams exchanged runs yet again, Plattsburgh ended the first half with six straight points and took a 45-40 lead into halftime.

Potsdam opened the second half with an 8-0 run and took a 48-45 lead at the 16:58 mark, however, the Cardinals battled back and took a momentarily 51-50 lead at the 15:23 mark. Potsdam answered the Cardinals yet again and used a 12-0 tear to jump out to a 62-51 lead at the 11:40 mark. The Cardinals cut the lead to single digits after a 9-0 run brought them within two and made the score 66-64 at the 4:41 mark. Potsdam cushioned their lead after Cortez scored four straight points and made the score 70-64 but Plattsburgh battled back to come within one after a layup from Welch made the score 72-71 Bears. After both teams made two free throws, the Cardinals only trailed by one point, and after a missed free throw from the Bears Tabb secured the rebound giving the Cardinals a chance to take the lead. Ezike sliced his way to the basket and made a clutch layup that put the Cardinals ahead 75-74 but a heartbreaking three-pointer from Cortez at the buzzer secured a 77-75 win for Potsdam.