POTSDAM, N.Y.—SUNY Fredonia (6-7, 3-3 SUNYAC) used free throws in the final minutes to defeat the SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (1-11, 0-6) 70-61 on Saturday afternoon. Freshman guard Jayquan Thomas (Hollis, N.Y./Richmond Hill) led the Bears with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists. Blue Devils junior guard Dante Williams (Buffalo, N.Y./Hutch Tech) had a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double.
 
The teams battled closely in the first half. Fredonia built a 15-8 advantage at the 12:29 mark as junior center Tommie Banks (Rochester, N.Y./East) dropped in a layup. Potsdam countered with a 7-2 run to close to within 17-15 at 10:15 with three points each from Thomas and freshman guard Danny Delsol-Lowry (Queens, N.Y./Queens H.S. of Teaching). The deficit hovered between five and two points over the rest of the half. Down 29-25 with 2:19 left in the half, junior captain Kevin Baksh (Queens, N.Y./Richmond Hill) drained a three and sophomore forward Serigne Kane (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooklyn Prep) hit a free throw to get the Bears even at 1:17. Two free throws gave Fredonia a 31-29 advantage at the half.
 
Kane tied the game with a layup 1:09 into the second half and a Thomas bucket gave Potsdam its first lead of the contest, 33-31, 30 seconds later. The Blue Devils edged back in front over the next three minutes, but Kane hit a three to tie the game at 38 all with 13:13 to play. Kane drilled another three at 9:40 to give the Bears their last lead of the contest at 47-46. Fredonia regained the lead with a 6-0 run, but Baksh hit another three at 7:13 to make it a 52-50 deficit. The teams traded field goals over the next five minutes, before the Blue Devils began to pull away. Potsdam trailed 60-57 with 2:31 to play, but Fredonia finished with a 10-4 stretch, including six points from the charity stripe, to seal the 70-61 win.
 
Kane finished with 11 points, 10 in the second half, nine rebounds and two blocks. Sophomore guard Nosa Onabor (Brooklyn, N.Y./Northside Charter) scored 10 points and Delsol-Lowry had eight points, seven boards and two steals. Junior forward Ian Helps (Bronx, N.Y./Greater New York Academy) totaled 16 points for Fredonia.
 
The Blue Devils outshot the Bears 45 percent to 33, but the rebounds were even at 40 apiece.
 
Potsdam is back in action next weekend when the Bears host SUNY Cortland at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Oswego State at 4 p.m. on Saturday.