Courtesy of Plattsburgh Sports Information Department
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 16 Plattsburgh State men's basketball team (24-4) will move on in the NCAA Division III tournament after overcoming Union College (19-9) Saturday night inside Memorial Hall to clinch their 21st consecutive win and break the program record for most sequential wins.
Junior forward Jonathan Patron (Huntington, N.Y. / Harborfields) picked up a career high 18 rebounds and scored 39 points to lead the Cardinals.
Junior guard Brandon Johnson (Greenburgh, N.Y./Woodlands) came off the bench to put up 14 points and added six assists along with three blocks, senior guard Eli Bryant (Staten Island, N.Y./Michael J. Petrides School) also came off the bench and had 12 points and four assists while junior guard/forward Chris Middleton (New York, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) had eight points and six rebounds.
Union came out strong tying the game three times and going on a nine point run to take a seven point edge six minutes in.
Patron put in a jumper to cut it to five but the Dutchmen put in a three-pointer and two free throws to take a ten point advantage.
Johnson drained a three but Union put in their own three then Johnson drained another three-pointer and the Dutchmen countered with a layup.
Patron made a jumper, Johnson had a layup and Patron put in another jumper to come within three points.
Plattsburgh State tied the first half three more times including a layup from Patron to beat the buzzer to head into halftime with a score of 41-41.
The Dutchmen started the second half with a layup but the Cardinals went on a seven point spree to tie the game and take the lead.
Middleton tied the game with a layup, got fouled and made a free throw and Patron made a free throw, a layup then another free throw.
Union tied the game 53-53 with 13:30 remaining in the game but Patron put in a layup followed by Bryant with a layup and Patron made two free throws to take a six point edge.
The Cardinals went on another seven point binge with a jumper from Bryant, sophomore forward Adam Jaquish (Moriah, N.Y./Moriah) made a free throw, Johnson made two free throws and Patron put in two free throws to take a ten point cushion.
Plattsburgh State took their largest lead of 15 points with 2:31 left after another seven point bender.
Bryant had a jumper, Parton made a layup and the free throw and Middleton made two free throws.
Union drained a three-pointer with 35 seconds left to cut the Cardinals win to 12 points.
Plattsburgh will travel to Swarthmore, Pa. to play Swarthmore College in the third round of the NCAA DIII Tournament on Friday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m.
