With a berth to the SUNYAC championship game on the line, the Buffalo State Bengals and the Oswego Lakers did not disappoint. In a game with 25 lead changes, Oswego found itself on top at the end of overtime, 84-83, which ended the Bengals’ season. This was the third match up decided by one point between the two teams this season.

Five points was the largest lead for the Bengals, which they took with 12 minutes to go in the first half. They couldn’t hold on to that lead as the Bengals went into halftime down by three, 35-32. They made up the slim margin in the second half and pushed the game to overtime tied at 76 after a Dom Grayer jumper with 29 seconds remaining in regulation.

Buffalo State found itself with the lead 83-82 with 19 seconds left in overtime, but surrendered the go-ahead layup with eight seconds left. A last second three-point attempted came up short which ended Buffalo State’s season with the 84-83 loss.

The Bengals’ defense held Oswego to just 26-71 shooting from the field (37 percent). Oswego resorted to the free throw line to get easy points. Oswego shot 28 free throws and made 21 of them (75 percent) to be in the game compared to the Bengals lackluster 11 for 17 mark from the line (65 percent).

Brian Sortino of Oswego found a way to exploit the strong Buffalo State defense by putting his team on his back with his 48 point output. He alone accounted for 17 of Oswego’s 21 free throw makes.

In what turned out to be his final game as a Bengal, Lovell Smith did all he could for a Buffalo State victory by leading the team with 29 points on 55 percent shooting from the floor. Jordan Chateau shot an efficient 5 for 6 from the field to add 13 points along with Jordan Glover shooting 6 for 9 for his 14 points. Mike Henry struggled to get a groove all night only attempting five shots while making two for a total of four points.

With the loss the Bengals campaign ends with a record of 17-9  and two points shy of a SUNYAC championship berth.