BUFFALO, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (5-6, 3-3 SUNYAC) shook off a challenge from Buffalo State (1-13, 0-7) and pulled away for a 82-66 road win on Tuesday evening. Junior forward
Brandon Segar Jr. (Jamaica, N.Y./Richmond Hill) matched a career-high with 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard
Colton Huestis (Ticonderoga, N.Y./Ticonderoga) had 19 points and six boards and freshman guard
MeSean Johnson (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) scored 11 and had four assists.
The Bengals got off to a fast start, building an 8-3 lead 2:04 into the contest. Buffalo State's Argjend Imeri hit a three at 10:08 to give the Bengals their biggest lead of the half at 24-12. Potsdam fought its way back into the contest beginning with a 3-pointer from freshman guard
Jeff Williamson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King). The bucket sparked a 25-13 Bears run to close the half. Freshmen forward
Parker Kelly (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown), Johnson and Huestis each had five points during the run. Johnson hit both free throws with 40 seconds left in the half to give Potsdam its second lead of the game at 37-35. Philbert Weekes countered with a layup with five ticks left and the teams were even at 37 at the break.
The contests stayed tight thoughout the first half of the final 20 minutes with four lead changes and two ties. Huestis scored five points in the opening minutes, including all three free throws after getting fouled behind the arc. Another Huestis bucket made it 42-39 Bears at 18:59. After the Bengals rallied, Johnson and Segar scored four straight to put Potsdam up 46-44 at 15:36. Buffalo State took a final lead of 54-53 at 11:22 on a 3-pointer from Aaron Davis. Segar then erased the lead with two free throws and Potsdam never trailed again, closing the contest on a 29-12 run. Potsdam pulled away at the free-throw line, scoring 15 of their points from the charity stripe. Segar scored 15 of the points, including eight from the free-throw line.
Parker and Williamson also had strong days for Potsdam with eight points, six boards and seven points, five rebounds, respectively.
Davis and Weekes paced the Bengals with 19 points each and Weekes completed the double-double with 11 rebounds. DaRon Hughey and Robert Richards each reached double digits with 11 points.
Potsdam outrebounded Buffalo State 48-35.
The Bears are back in action tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. when they head to Fredonia for another critical SUNYAC contest.
