MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[jdex]

Third seed Oswego and fifth seed Plattsburgh move into Friday semifinals with Tuesday first round wins. Oswego drills sixth seed visiting Morrisville 87-66 while Plattsburgh goes overtime to trim fourth seed host New Paltz 97-88.
  Five Pburgh Cardinals score double figures to avenge pair of regular season losses to New Paltz. M. Johnson nets 22pts, K. Screen 21, R. Welch 21, E. Morris 20, J. Gladney 12. Cards by 38-38 at half. Regulation 78-78. NP M. Sylla 29pts, L. Matthews 25, E. Rivera 23 in Hawks' final SUNYAC hoop action.
   Oswego sinks Mustangs as J. McGhee scores 29pts (15x15ft), D. Judd 20 (15reb), A. Foster 11 (14reb), S. Bradley 13, C. Whyte-Luciano 10. Lakers 26x33ft, 63-32 rebounding margin. A. Granger 20 for M'ville. Oswego 29-20 at half

Final Four pairings set at top seed Cortland. Friday matches second seed Oneonta against Oswego ..... Cortland against Plattsburgh. Winners square off Saturday for automatic NCAA tourney berth.

[jdex]

Respective 2, 3, 5 seeds Oneonta, Oswego and Plattsburgh convene this evening at top seed Cortland in tourney semifinal contests. Oneonta and Oswego tipoff at 5:30, Pburgh and Cortland at 7:30. Winners clash at 4 Saturday at CSt's Pete Corey Gym for an automatic NCAA tourney slot.
  Red Dragons of Cortland who as the third seed upset top seed host New Paltz last season, are hosting the Final Four for the first time since 2013. Homecourt advantage? Oswego proved that factuaal in '22 and '23 but the favored Lakers fell to New Paltz in '24.
  Oswego (15-3, 22-4) and Oneonta (15-3, 17-8) regular season outings result in each winning on the other's court within week's span over mid-January. Oswego prevails comfortably but rematch sees Oneonta up in overtime. Lakers drop two to Cortland, one in double OT. Youngest team in the field with returning 6-6 soph '25 SUNYAC player of the year Deacon Judd (18.7ppg, 51%fg, 9.1rpg). Other regulars include 6-1 jr J. McGhee (14.2ppg), 6-3 jr S. Bradley (12ppg), 6-5 soph A. Foster (10.8ppg, 50%fg), fr g F. Fowler. Oswego scoring at league best 84.5 clip, defending 69.9. Reaches semi ousting Morrisville in first round.
    Oneonta setbacks come in splits with Cortland and Oswego along with shocker at Fredonia. OSt Dragons feature 6-5 soph Cam LaClair (14.3ppg, 7.7rpg) and couple of transfers in 5-7 jr N. Cortez (12.4ppg) and 6-2 soph N. Cohen (11.1ppg). Also look to 6-2 sr D. Knox (9ppg). Oneonta on attack hits at 78.7 norm, defenses at 67.2.

    Cortland (17-1, 21-4) and Plattsburgh (9-9, 13-12) sees RDragons twice prevail in regular season contests, though both quints without vital players. Corts minus '25 tourney mvp 6-5 sr K. Arcuri (13.4, 47% 3s, 7rpg) in initial duel. Cards 6-2 jr Elijah Morris (12.8ppg in 12 tilts) missing in both. Cortland starters identical to tourney champs ...'25 mvp Arcuri, 6-7 sr Aaron Coston (14.2ppg, 59.5%fg, 40% 3s, 7.9rpg, 80assts), 6-3 sr I. Austin (10.8ppg, 38% 3s), 6-4 jr J. Davis (9.9ppg, 7.1rpg), 6-1 pg G. Armbrewster, plus 5-10 fr N. Raymond (9.2ppg), 6-5 fr X. Leveille (7.1ppg), 6-6 soph C. McDonald. Averaging 77.8ppg, best 61.24 defense.
    Pburgh 0-2 vs. three other tourney finalists. BUT was also winless vs. New Paltz till beating 4-seed Hawks Tuesday in OT in first round where four starters count 20 or more points. Morris, who two seasons ago suited up for Oneonta, nets 22. Sure to draw attention is 6-1 sr Reem Welch (26.1ppg, 53%fg, 8.3rpg, 4.1apg) who scores 36 in second game with Corts. That comes a night before 49 at Morrisville when Cards play final 48 seconds with four players. Other threats include 6-3 sr M. Johnson (9.6ppg, 7.2rpg), 6-1 soph J. Gladney (11.1ppg), 6-6 sr K. Screen (10.1ppg, 59%fg, 8.1rpg). Plattsburgh averaging 77.6, defending 77.9.

[jdex]

Cortland and Oswego will go at it Saturday afternoon in Cortland for the tourney title. In Friday semis, Top seed RDragons spill spunky fifth seed Plattsburgh 96-71 after third seed Oswego rolls past second seed Oneonta 83-69.
   Corts mount one of their most spirited performances. Six Dragons score double digits, shoot 58% field goals (39x67) with 21 assists, 10x24 3s, 8x9ft, 36-22 rebound difference. Break out to 49-35 halftime gap. Shorthanded redbirds within 69-59 at 10:51. Five straight J. Davis points lift Dragons who spurt to 87-61 command at 5:23.
   A. Coston big cog again with 21pts (9x16fg, 7reb, 4assts, 28'). K. Arcuri with 16pts (5x9fg, 6reb), G. Armbrewster career best 15pts (7x7fg, 1x1 3s, 10 first half pts, 22'), N. Raymond 12pts (5x8fg, 2x3 3s, 18'), G. Pacheco 10pts (4x5fg, 2x2 3s, 17'), J. Davis 10pts (4x9fg, 6reb, 5assts). Cards R. Welch 26pts (10x16fg, 4x7 3s, 6reb, 8assts, 39'). Welch reaches 2-season 1,000 pts. J. Gladney, E. Morris 14pts apiece. Pburg 16x31 3s).
   Cortland 22-4, Plattsburgh 13-13.

Oswego very much in control of Oneonta. Laker J. McGhee off the bench for 18 of game-high 30 points in the first half of Oswego 38-25 getaway. Oswego never in danger the rest of the way. McGhee in 27 minutes 8x15fg, 6x9 3s, 8x10ft. D. Judd whirls inside for 19pts (8x12fg, 11reb, 33'), G. McLane with 9pts, 9reb. Lakers 46 percent field goals, 16x19ft. Oneontan P. Evans 27pts (9x15fg, 7x8ft, 9reb), C. LaClair 13pts (6x12fg, 11reb, 40'), N. Cohen 10 pts (3x16fg, 2x11 3s, 8reb, 5pf, 33').
    Oswego 23-4, Oneonta 17-9

[jdex]

Cortland dons conference tourney crown for second straight year. Emphatically whips Oswego 84-51 at their own 'The Pete.' Land NCAA tourney invite with their 15th win in a row. MVP Aaron Coston shows the way with 26 points. Makes 8 of 11 from the floor, 6 of 8 3s plus 4x5ft, 9reb, 4assts.
    Saturday's title run is over early before large gathering. Dragons score first and race to 18-2 lead with torrid shotmaking and stifling defense. Connect on nine of their first 15 treys. Spread wealth around and widen the lead to 37-11. Commanding 42-19 lead after the first 20 minutes. Corts by half outscore Lakers 21-0 in bench points.
    Switching man to man Cortland defense shuts down Oswego attack averaging 85ppg. No Laker scores double figues. Usual prolific producer Deacon Judd held to four points before exiting on fouls about 7 minutes from the finish. Meanwhile, Oswego opens with man defense before switching to zone. Neither quite effective in this one. Frosh Xavier Leveille 10 points high Dragon at half. Nets 15 (5x9fg, 3x7 3s) in all. Makes All-Tourney team.
    Coston 'three' makes it 56-23 with 15:30 left. Laker skipper Jason Leone continues prancing and dancing on the sideline (sometimes the court). In addition to Coston and Leveille, 11 Dragons score. All Tourney pick Gaige Armbrewster with 7pts continuing perfect shooting (3x3fg, 1x1 3). K. Arcuri with 10reb, 3assts; N. Raymond 3assts. Dragons with 22 assists in 30 buckets (51%). Finish 18x38 3s.
    All-Tourney choice Jayson McGhee with 9pts along with G. McLane for Oswego.
    Cortland 23-4, Oswego 23-5 with three losses to Cortland and third-year coach Mo Kearney.
   

[jdex]

Cortland in NCAA tourney opener Friday vs. Franklin & Marshall of Lancaster PA on Endicott MA campus in Beverly MA. Tipoff at 4. Shares billing with Endicott vs. Neumann of Aston PA.
  RDragons take 23-4 mark against 22-5 F&M from Centennial Conference where Diplomats went 10-3. Both among mentions in D3 poll. Endicott is 26-1 and 13th in D3 poll, Neumann 19-5.
  Winners clash Saturday in second round ..... F&M is former three-season football coaching home of Tom Blumenauer prior to his hiring last season at Cortland.

Liberty League rep Vassar (20-8) of Poughkeepsie travels to Frederick MD for first rounder vs. host Hood Blazers (24-3). That card also has Susquehanna (16-12) vs. Redlands CA (23-4).

Empire League's Keuka (15-13) draws host and D3 second ranked Trinity CT (25-2). Site also matches Babson MA (21-6) vs. St. Joe's ME (20-8)