The Oswego State men's basketball team edged out Fredonia in a 63-62 contest on Friday afternoon at Max Ziel Gymnasium. With the win, the Lakers move to 3-2 on the season and earn their first conference victory in the SUNYAC opener.
In the first half, Oswego got off to a hot start, going on a 16-5 run in the early goings of the game. Kyle Covley got involved when he received a pass from teammate Walter Sampson and converted on a three-pointer from the right wing. Teammate Ian Schupp capped the run with a three-pointer of his own, forcing a Fredonia timeout.
Forward Rashawn Powell paced the Lakers with 10 first-half rebounds, as Oswego went into the locker room holding a 37-32 advantage over Fredonia.
In the second half, Powell continued to be relentless on the glass, fetching everything in sight. The 6-foot-4 forward finished the night with a career-high 21 rebounds – eight of which were offensive boards. The Endicott native was largely responsible for a three-rebound advantage over the Blue Devils, 41-38.
Starter Brian Sortino led the Laker offense with 13 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting. Fellow guard Kyle Covley added 10 points on the night.
It would take more than the starters to down the Blue Devils, however. The Lakers got help from the bench, as the team's role players recorded 22 of Oswego's 63 points on the afternoon. Matt Crockett registered 11 of those points and Schupp tallied nine.
The Lakers shot an impressive 86.7% (13-for-15) from the charity stripe to aid in the victory.
Oswego will be back in action at 2 p.m. on Saturday for a home showdown against Buffalo State.
