FREDONIA, N.Y. – The Fredonia men's basketball team dropped a 65-51 game to visiting New Paltz on Friday. Ian Helps (Bronx, N.Y. / Greater New York Academy) led the Blue Devils with 15 points and seven rebounds. Alexander Grace (Bemus Point, N.Y. / maple Grove) added 14 points.
 
Scoring started off slow, with the Devils managing only a three pointer from Grace and a tip in by Helps over the first 6:40 of play. New Paltz built a 20-5 lead.
 
Helps then scored the game's next seven points to make it 20-12 late in the frame. New Paltz would finish the half with a layup and buzzer-beating thee pointer by Kevin Roach to take a 25-12 lead into the locker room.
 
At the break, Helps had nine at to lead all scorers. Roach had eight for the Hawks. The Devils shot five of 25 for the half, while New Paltz was 10 of 27. Fredonia had an 18-17 lead in rebounds, but were plagued by nine turnovers.
 
The Devils opened the second half on a 9-3 run -- including seven straight to finish the spurt -- to pull within seven, 28-21.
 
New Paltz's Andrew Senuik nailed a three at the 15-minute mark to temporarily slow Fredonia's momentum and give the Hawks a 31-21 lead.
 
The Devils immediately ran off another seven straight, as Kyree Hull converted a three-point play, Grace nailed a three and Hull connected on a free throw. At 31-28, it would be the closest the Devils would get.
 
New Paltz answered with a pair of quick threes by Keegan Donovan and Taylor Mulvey. A layup by Taylor Sowah gave the Hawks eight straight and a 39-28 lead.
 
New Paltz's biggest lead of 19 came at the 6:38 mark following a Perlman layup, making it 50-31. Fredonia answered with eight straight points, but it was too little, too late.
 
New Paltz (7-7, 5-2 SUNAYC) was led by Sowah and RJ Rosa with 10 points apiece.

On the stat sheet, both teams turned in similar performances. The rebounding battle was even at 37 apiece. Shooting percentage was also close, Fredonia finishing at 33 percent (16 of 48) and New Paltz was at 34 percent (23 of 67). From the free throw line, Fredonia was 15 of 25 (60 percent), while New Paltz was13 of 24 (54 percent). New Paltz committed 21 fouls to Fredonia's 20.
 
The biggest discrepancy was the turnover battle. Fredonia had 23 compared to 14 for New Paltz.
 
The Blue Devils (1-12, 0-9 SUNYAC) are back in Steele Hall Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. tip off vs. Oneonta.