Courtesy: Brockport Athletics
The SUNY Brockport men’s basketball team closed out the regular season with a 76-66 win over Buffalo State on Senior Day. The win clinches the third seed for Brockport in the upcoming SUNYAC Tournament, guaranteeing a home game for the first round.
Devante Hagins celebrated Senior Day with a stat-sheet stuffing performance at home. He did it all for the Green and Gold, finishing with 10 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, four blocks, and four steals.
Jahidi Wallace led the team in scoring with 19 points in the contest, going 6-for-11 from the field and 7-for-10 at the foul line. David Grady III had 16 points, while Mekhi Beckett finished with 15 points and eight boards.
The two teams traded baskets back-and-forth throughout most of the first half. Brockport (46.9% FG) shot a better percentage from the field than Buffalo State (39.5% FG) in the first half, but second chance opportunities for the visiting team kept the game close. The score was tied at 38-38 with just 1:38 remaining before halftime. Brockport closed the half with a 6-0 run to snag a 42-38 lead going into the locker room.
Continuing to attack the rim, the Golden Eagles would make it a 10-point game early on in the second. The visiting Bengals hung around with a quick surge to make it a one-point deficit, as they trailed 54-53 with 12:11 on the clock. Brockport slowly built upon its slight edge as the half went on, eventually extending the lead to double-digits again. With 3:11 remaining in the game, the home team held its largest lead of the contest, 76-60, thanks to a long-range bomb from Mekhi Beckett. Buffalo State was unable to make up the ground, as Brockport cruised to the 10-point win on Senior Day.
Two separate Buffalo State players posted a double-double in the contest. Philbert Weekes had 16 points and 12 boards, while Marquell Boutwell tallied 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Bengals finish their season 5-20 overall and 4-14 in the SUNYAC, as they will not make the postseason.
The defending SUNYAC Champions will now move into the postseason, looking to begin their title defense. Saturday’s win over Buffalo State clinch the third seed for the Golden Eagles, giving them a home game for the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament.
Brockport will host the sixth seeded Potsdam Bears, in a rematch of the 2019-20 SUNYAC Finals, on Tuesday, February 22nd for a 7 pm tip-off.
Leave a Reply