Box Score NEWBURGH, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College men's basketball team defeated Hudson Valley rival, SUNY New Paltz, 95-88 in non-conference action on Tuesday evening in the Kaplan Center.  The Knights are now 2-1 overall, while the Hawks drop to 1-2.

With the Mount leading by 19 late in the second half, New Paltz cut the deficit to 10 with a 9-0 run.  A three-pointer from senior Harris Wichard (Merrick, N.Y.) at the 4:49 mark made the score, 77-67, in favor of the Knights.  Following an exchange of buckets, Mount sophomore Donte Howell (Baldwin, N.Y.) was fouled on the way to the hoop and drained a pair of free throws to push the lead back to 12.  Wichard missed a triple at the other end and Mount sophomore Joe Stabach (Staten Island, N.Y.) all but iced the game with a straight-on three-pointer at the 3:41 mark to make it 84-69.

New Paltz would cut the deficit back to single digits inside the final minute, but never really threatened.  The Hawks hit their final five shots of the contest, and a three-pointer by junior Shalik Jenkins (Brooklyn, N.Y.) with three seconds to play made the final score, 95-88.  Howell hit 8-of-10 from the line as New Paltz fouled desperately over the course of the final minute.

Howell would go on to lead the Knights with 21 points, hitting on 13-of-16 attempts from the line.  Senior Carlos Valdez (Carolina, Puerto Rico) played another strong game, tallying 17 points and 12 rebounds to record his second consecutive double-double.  Stabach hit on 4-of-6 from three and finished with 15 points.

For New Paltz, junior Matt Devine (Manalapan, N.J.) had a monstrous night, pouring in 31 points to go along with 16 rebounds.  Devine hit on 11-of-16 from the field and 7-of-7 at the line.  Junior Nick Taldi (Merrick, N.Y.) was 8-of-12 from the field for 21 points and Wichard finished with 17 points and nine assists.

Both teams shot it very well in the second.  Mount Saint Mary shot 55.6% in the second half to finish at 47.1% for the contest.  New Paltz connected at 62.9% in the second stanza to finish at 51.6%.

The Knights will look to complete a sweep of their Hudson Valley opponents with a non-conference tilt against Bard College on Tuesday, November 29.  The game is scheduled to follow the women's game at approximately 8:00 p.m.