The Oswego State men's basketball team fought back in regulation to force extra time but was unable to secure the victory in overtime, falling 80-71 to host New Paltz on Friday evening in the Hawk Center. Oswego's loss is just its second in conference play, dropping its SUNYAC mark to 7-2 and overall record to 11-5. The win pushes the Hawks back to .500 at 8-8 overall and 6-3 in league action.
After battling back-and-forth in a first half that featured six lead changes and four ties, New Paltz gained a three-point edge heading to the locker room with a 30-27 advantage at half. The Hawks carried that momentum into the second stanza, pushing their lead to as many as nine at 60-51 with 6:10 remaining.
Oswego would not surrender in the waning moments, picking up the pace while striving for a comeback. With :02 showing on the clock, Brian Sortino elevated for a 3-point attempt with the Lakers trailing by just two at 66-64. The guard was hit by two Hawk defenders as they closed in on the potential game-winner, and New Paltz was whistled for a foul. Sortino went to the charity stripe and knocked down 2-of-3, forcing five more minutes of play to decide a winner. The sophomore's free-throws completed an Oswego 15-6 run over the final 6:10 of regulation.
In the overtime, Oswego and New Paltz traded baskets to make it 68-68 but a quick 7-0 Hawk run would wind up being the turning point. Behind 75-68, Ian Schupp hit a trey from the corner to pull the Lakers within four but that was the closest the squad would come the rest of the way.
Kyle Covley led all scorers with 24 points on the night, shooting 56.3% (9-for-16) from the floor, including 6-for-12 from beyond the arc. The junior's six 3-pointers set a season-high and missed his career mark by just one, which he set in the same gym as a freshman against New Paltz on Jan. 22, 2013.
Schupp, a freshman guard, netted a career-high 16 points in the contest, going 6-for-12 from the field. His output was helped by his better than 50.0% night from distance, making a career-best four treys on just seven attempts.
Rashawn Powell filled the stats sheet as usual, collecting a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The senior also nabbed two steals, blocked one shot and distributed one assist.
Oswego will look to jump back into the win column during a 2 p.m. contest at Oneonta on Saturday.
