POTSDAM, N.Y.--- The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (2-3) defeated Clarkson University (0-5) 77-66 in a back-and-forth contest on Tuesday night. The victory ended a three-game losing streak for the Bears and was their first over the Golden Knights in exactly six years. Senior guard Dante Langley (Schuylerville, N.Y./Schuylerville) led the Bears with 24 points and eight rebounds. Langley made a season-high five 3-pointers. Senior forward Serigne Kane (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooklyn Prep) had 17 points (15 in the second half) to go along with six rebounds.
 
The Bears started the game off hot, scoring 15 unanswered points, while shooting a blistering 86 percent from the field. Langley scored nine of the points. Their aggressiveness on defense and the scoring from Langley was fundamental for the Bears' surge in the first half. The Golden Knights spent the majority of the half trying to make a run of their own, and the lead was cut to single digits with 8:47 remaining. After a Potsdam missed layup, freshman guard Chris Hulbert (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) knocked down a 3-pointer from the right wing on an assist from senior guard Malaquias Canery (Lawrence, Mass./Clinton), making the game 27-19. A free throw by freshman forward Resse Swedberg (Moultonborough, NH/Moultonborough Academy) gave Clarkson its first lead of the night at 35-34 with 3:34 on the clock, capping off their 9-0 run. The Bears put an end to their dry spell with Langley drilling a three from the left corner. Then, sophomore forward Dante Viskovich (Massena, N.Y./Massena), with a hand in his face, hit a 3-pointer of his own. The basket gave the Bears a 40-35 advantage going into the second half. After trailing by as much as 18, the Golden Knights outscored Potsdam 33-20 the rest of the half, thanks largely to six 3-pointers.
 
The two teams traded baskets in the beginning stages of the second half. Junior center Kristoff Saunders (Queens, N.Y./Queens High School of Teaching) started off hot, scoring eight of Potsdam's first nine points. Langley's fifth 3-pointer of the night with 12:09 remaining, put Potsdam back up double-digits at 59-47. Similar to the first half, the Golden Knights fought back into the game. After a steal by Hulbert, junior guard Matt Higgins (South Glens Falls, N.Y./South Glens Falls) dunked the ball in transition, and followed it up with a layup and the foul on the play after. After the Bears weathered the run, junior guard Jayquan Thomas (Hollis, N.Y./Richmond Hill) energized Potsdam with a basket and the foul to put them up nine at 69-60 with just under five minutes remaining. Clarkson responded a final time with back-to-back 3-pointers from sophomore guard Jason Phelps (Tully, N.Y./Tully) and Hulbert, cutting the lead to four at 2:48. Now up 70-66, the Bears missed a jumper, but got an offensive rebound and Kane made a layup on a pass from junior guard Danny Delsol-Lowry (Queens, N.Y./Queens High School of Teaching). An off the ball foul at the time of the basket sent junior guard Aaron Armstrong (Libson, N.Y./Madrid-Waddington) to the line for a free throw that was good. After being fouled, Thomas hit one of two free throws, putting the Bears up nine with 42 seconds remaining. He then capped the win with a layup on a steal from Armstrong to close the scoring at 77-66.
 
Saunders finished with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Hulbert led Clarkson with 23 points, making a season-high seven 3-pointers. Higgins added 18 points on the night. Clarkson shot 39 percent from the field, while Potsdam shot 46 percent.
 
The Bears will host SUNY Oneonta on Friday at 7:30 p.m. to open SUNYAC play on Bear Pride Night.