NEW PALTZ—SUNY New Paltz (9-10/7-5 SUNYAC) defeated the SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (2-16, 1-11) 64-42 on Friday evening. Senior guard Rishawd Hendricks (Brooklyn, N.Y./Mount Zion Christian Academy) led the Bears with game-highs in both points and rebounds with 19 and 10. R.J. Rosa paced the Hawks with 14 points.
 
New Paltz started the contest with a 9-0 run before junior guard Joe Estramonte (Greenwich, N.Y./Greenwich) ended the drought with a 3-pointer at 16:30. A Hendricks' three two minutes later closed the gap to just three points, but New Paltz pulled away again. An 8-0 run, capped by an Andrew Seniuk layup, gave the Hawks their biggest lead of the half at 17-6 with 11:14 to play. Freshman forward Tishsean Emmanuel (Brooklyn, N.Y./Nazareth) answered with a three for Potsdam to start a 9-5 stretch and get the Bears back within seven at 22-15. Scoring was even the rest of the half and New Paltz took a 26-19 lead into the locker room.
 
The Hawks outscored Potsdam 12-3 over the first 5:22 of the second period to build a 38-22 advantage. A layup from Bears senior forward Tom Graf (Elbridge, N.Y./Jordan-Elbridge) made it 38-27, New Paltz took off after the bucket. Freshman guard Justin Rhynders (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) closed the contest's scoring with his first two career points from the free-throw line.
 
Estramonte finished with seven points, three assists and three steals for Potsdam.
 
Taylor Sowah scored 13 points for the Hawks and Seniuk totaled 11 points and six boards.
 
The Bears outrebounded the Hawks 40-35 in the contest.
 
Potsdam is back in action at SUNY Oneonta at 2 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.