POTSDAM, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (11-7, 7-4 SUNYAC) defeated SUNY Brockport (10-7, 6-4 SUNYAC), 78-71 on Saturday evening. Neither team was able to get any separation until the Bears eventually pulled away with their clutch free throw shooting. Senior forward Dante Langley (Queens, N.Y./Queens H.S. of Teaching) scored 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds for the Bears. Senior guard Nosa Onabor (Brooklyn, N.Y./Northside Charter) finished with 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in the win. Junior guard Danny Delsol-Lowry (Queens, N.Y./Queens High School of Teaching) added 12 points and dished out five assists.

Langley led the Bears early with back-to-back threes that gave Potsdam a 12-9 advantage with 13:31 in the half. Junior forward Justin Summers (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bushwick Campus) responded for the Golden Eagles by finishing inside and completing the three-point play. After Langley scored inside, junior center Kristoff Saunders (Queens, N.Y./Queens High School of Teaching) scored after his offensive rebound, and followed it up with two made free throws. Langley connected on this third three-pointer of the half from the right wing to give Potsdam an eight point lead half way through the first. The Golden Eagles cut the lead in half after a jumper by Summers followed by a fastbreak layup by sophomore guard Devante Hagins (Rochester, N.Y./Leadership Academy for Young Men), then a made free throw by sophomore guard Davonte Jones (Troy, N.Y./Lansinburgh). The Bears kept themselves ahead with key free throws from Onabor and Langley. At the half the Bears led 36-28.

Junior guard Jayquan Thomas (Hollis, N.Y./Richmond Hill) opened up the scoring in the second half with a deep three off the dribble from the top of the key. Brockport responded on the very next play with an alley-oop layup pass from freshman guard Danny Ashley (Uniondale, N.Y./Uniondale) to Summers. At 13:48, senior guard Josh Nelson's (Jamestown, N.Y./Frewsburg) three-pointer from the corner gave the Golden Eagles their first lead since early in the second half. The Bears got back in front minutes later after a euro-step layup by Delsol-Lowry. Onabor put the Bears up five after sinking a three with a hand in his face with 10:32 left. Brockport then regained the lead after Ashley came up with a steal and fed Nelson for the fastbreak layup, followed by Nelson's three from the left corner. Coming out of a timeout down 56-60, Onabor drilled a three from the top of the key off the dish from Langley. After being fouled while capturing the defensive rebound, Langley knocked down both free throws to once again give Potsdam the lead with five minutes remaining. After layup from Hagins, Onabor and Langley each scored for the Bears. Following Brockport free throws, Onabor knocked down another three from the key with just over a minute remaining. Brockport came within two after Jones' layup with 47 seconds left, but the Bears free throw shooting down the stretch secured the 78-71 victory.

Summers led the Eagles with 20 points and eight rebounds. Ashley added 12 points and dished out six assists.

Potsdam shot 37% from the field, while Brockport shot 34%.

This is the Bears first win over the Golden Eagles since February 7, 2011

Potsdam is back in action as they host Plattsburgh Tuesday at 7:30 at Jerry Welsh Gymnasium.