OSWEGO — In a game that saw 25 lead changes and neither team pull ahead by more than six, top-seeded Oswego hit a layup with eight seconds remaining in overtime and held on for an 84-83 victory over visiting No. 5 Buffalo State in tonight’s second SUNYAC Semifinal.
Senior Lovell Smith (Buffalo/McKinley) led Buffalo State with 29 points and nine rebounds in what was his final game as a Bengal. Dom Grayer (Brooklyn/Bishop Loughlin) added 15 points.
Senior Jordan Glover (Buffalo/St. Joe’s) tallied 14 points and had four assists, and fellow senior Jordan Chateau (Bayside/Lowell) chipped in 13 points and eight boards. The teams raced back-and-forth all night with Buffalo State taking its biggest lead of the game by five in the early going, but Oswego led 35-32 through the opening 20 minutes.
The lead traded hands back-and-forth again in the second half, but Oswego managed to take its largest lead of the game at six on two occasions midway through the period, including at 60-54.
Buffalo State answered with an 8-0 run to pull back in front, but Oswego responded to pull back in front by five at 68-63 with just over five minutes remaining. The Bengals were not deterred however, grabbing a pair of one-point leads down the stretch. The Lakers led again by three with two minutes remaining, but the Bengals cut the deficit to two before Grayer his a mid-range fade-away jumper to knot the score at 76-76 with 29 seconds remaining to force overtime.
The Bengals struck first in the extra session with a layup by Chateau, followed by a free throw by Chateau to take an early three-point lead. Oswego pushed ahead by two with 35 seconds remaining, but the Bengals had the answer again as Smith converted an “old-fashioned” 3-point play to put Buffalo State ahead at 83-82 with just 19 seconds remaining. The drama continued at the other end of the court, however as the Bengals pressured the ball near midcourt, but a Laker snuck free under the basket and received the pass and converted the go-ahead layup with just eight ticks left on the clock. The Bengals attempted a long 3-pointer at the buzzer that sailed off the mark to finally end the contest in favor of the home team.
Oswego committed just seven turnovers in the game, while converting 13 Buffalo State turnovers into 21 points. The Lakers also outscored Buffalo State 33-18 from 3-point range and 21-11 at the free-throw line. Buffalo State was far more efficient, dominating inside, outscoring Oswego 42-20 in the paint. The Bengals shot 54 percent from the field for the game, while the Lakers hit on just 37 percent.
Oswego advances to host tomorrow’s championship game at 4 p.m. against No. 3 Oneonta, who knocked off Brockport, 85-72, in today’s early semifinal. The winner will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.
from BuffaloStateAthletics.com via IFTTT
