Devils 'Steele' win from Buff State
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Men's basketball
BOX SCORE: Fredonia State 62, Buffalo State 59
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- On a night when the Devils were recognized for donating blood to Community Blood Bank, they left their sweat on the court and Buffalo State in tears with a furious second-half comeback. Brad Cooper’s late game heroics – which included a steal, a coast-to-coast drive and clutch free throws on separate late-game possessions -- led the Devils to the thrilling 62-59 victory in Steele Hall.
A raucous crowd estimated at over 600 stormed the court when the final buzzer sounded.
The game was close for much of the first half that featured six lead changes and three ties. Buffalo State mounted its biggest lead, 21-14, at 7:40 of the period.
The Devils would eventually re-take the lead late in the half, 28-27, as Kyle Mitchell (Lake Luzerne/Hadley Luzerne) scored five straight points on back-to-back field goals and a free throw.
Buff State used layups by Norm Simmons and Glenroy Carr to take a three-point lead, 31-28, as the half came to a close.
James Kane (Buffalo/Bishop Timon) paced the Devils with 12 points at the midpoint. Mitchell added seven points and nine rebounds. Carr had 12 for Buffalo State.
The Bengals came out strong in the second half, and twice built a lead as much as 15 points, 49-34 at 12:32, and again at 57-42 with 8:00 remaining.
A three pointer by Cooper, a layup by Julius Bryant (Buffalo/Hutch Tech) and a Scott Valenta (Binghamton/Binghamton) three pointer cut the lead to seven, 57-50, at 5:55.
After a Buffalo State basket, Bryant again cut the lead to seven, 59-52, slicing to the hoop for a layup. On the next possession, Cooper floated to the hoop at 3:00 to make it 59-54. After another defensive stop, Mitchell scored on an inbound pass from Kane to cut the lead to three points, 59-56 Buffalo State.
After a foul on Kane, Carr missed both free throws for the Bengals. On the ensuing possession, Mitchell missed both free throws for the Devils.
Buffalo State then pushed the ball up the court as Cooper went to work.
Cooper pick pocketed Buffalo State on the fast break attempt, which would lead to a wide-open layup by Kane, with Jonathan Herrera (Woodside/Flushing) assisting, making it a one-point game, 59-58, with 55 seconds remaining.
On the Bengal’s next possession, Mitchell hounded the layup attempt, stole the ball, and kicked it out to Cooper who drove the length of the court and nailed the baby jumper making it 60-59 as the Devils took their first lead of the half with 20.6 seconds to go.
The Bengals called a time out with 13.7 the clock. Off the inboud play they got off a jumper, and in the attempt to tip the ball in off the rebound, offensive goaltending was called on the Bengals. In frustration, the Bengals were then hit with a technical foul with 2.7 remaining. Cooper missed both shots giving Buffalo State some life.
Cooper was then fouled on the inbound play, leaving 1.8 seconds. Cooper iced the game, converting both free throws to give the 62-59 final.
The Devils late surge was the result of a 20-2 scoring run.
The Devils top performers were Kane with 17 points and seven rebounds, Cooper with 13 points and four steals, and Mitchell with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Fredonia State ups its record to 2-3 and 1-0 in conference play.
Buffalo State (1-2 overall, 0-1 SUNYAC) was led by Carr with 19 points and Jake Simmons with 17.