Brockport, NY – The SUNY Brockport men's basketball team moved into first place in the SUNYAC Standings on Friday with a big win over Potsdam at home.
Jahidi Wallace led the way with game-high 22 points and eight boards.
With its seventh straight win, Brockport is now 14-3 overall and 9-1 in conference play. The 77-74 victory over the Bears at home, keeps the team at an undefeated 8-0 playing in the Jim and John Vlogianitis Gymnasium.
Tyler Collins finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while
Danny Ashley had 11 points and five boards.
Monte Stroman contributed 11 points, six boards, and three huge steals coming in off the bench.
The Green and Gold jumped out to a great start, with a Collins three-pointer giving the team a 9-0 lead early on. Potsdam regrouped after a timeout and cut the deficit to just one-point a few minutes later. Brockport kept a slim lead until stretching the advantage to 10 points with about three minutes left until halftime. A Potsdam buzzer beater would cut into the lead again, as the home team held a 37-32 edge at the break. All eight Brockport players that entered the game in the first half scored.
The score stayed close through the early moments of the second half, as Potsdam stayed within striking range. After stringing together a few stops, the visiting Bears took the lead 48-43 with 13:37 on the clock. There were 10 lead changes in the contest as the teams battled it out to the very end. Trailing by one point with 31 seconds remaining in regulation,
Monte Stroman came up with a steal on an inbound pass and ended up finishing at the basket to sieze a 75-74 lead with 24 seconds on the clock. A pair of clutch free throws from
Tyler Collins matched with two big time stops on the defensive end secured the big time win for Brockport.
The Golden Eagles got revenge on Potsdam, who is the only team in the SUNYAC to defeat them so far this season. The battle for the top spot in the conference lived up to the hype, as the crowd and game intensity felt like a postseason atmosphere.
Potsdam is now 13-4 overall and 8-2 in the SUNYAC after the loss, snapping a seven game win streak. Tyrese Baptiste played well for the Bears, posting a 13-point, 17-rebound double-double.
SUNY Brockport is back on its home court tomorrow looking for an eighth straight win against Plattsburgh State. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 pm.
