OSWEGO, N.Y. - Down 10 with 6:40 on the clock, things did not look good for the 16th-ranked Oswego State men's basketball team (21-3, 17-0 SUNYAC) and its unbeaten conference record. However, the Lakers scored the final 15 points and held Buffalo State (18-6, 11-6) scoreless to earn the 78-73 win at Max Ziel Gymnasium.

The two teams were trading punches throughout the game, but Buffalo State outscored the Lakers 22-6 in the paint during the first 12:40 of the second half to build its lead. However, when two Bengal forwards fouled out of the game, the Lakers made the most of their opportunity.

During the 15-0 run to end the game, the Lakers scored nine points following offensive rebounds including a play where Hayden Ward (Jr., Montauk, N.Y.) grabbed his tenth rebound of the game, passed it to Sean Michele (Sr., East Rochester, N.Y.), who returned the ball to Ward for his tenth assist after Ward drilled a three-pointer to tie the game at 73.

Ward hit a pair of free throws 50 seconds later to give the Lakers their first lead in over 10 minutes of action at 75-73. The defense then took over as Michele came up with a steal, Chad Burridge (Sr., Hannibal, N.Y.) blocked his second shot of the game and Ward grabbed another big rebound with 11.8 seconds left before hitting two more free throws.

For the second straight game, the night started on a sour note for the Lakers. Buffalo State took a 6-0 lead early and led 18-9 with 12 points coming in the paint.

The Lakers got back into the game with a trio of three-pointers in a 90-second span, knotting the game at 18 with 10:55 to play. Oswego led by as many as six in the first half, as Michele distributed eight assists in the first half alone.

However, Buffalo State was carried by Jake Simmons' 22 points in the opening 20 minutes and hit three late first half three-pointers to help tie the game at 36 before Ryan Sheridan (Sr., Blauvelt, N.Y.) hit a three-pointer for the Lakers just before halftime.

Behind seven points from Conor Monaghan (Sr., Brooklyn, N.Y.), the Lakers built a 50-41 lead in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Bengals went back to their big men once again.

Scoring eight straight points in the paint and completing an 11-0 run with a three-pointer, Buffalo State went up 57-53 with 11:45 left in the game.

That lead continued to grow when Simmons hit his fifth three-pointer with 6:40 left on the clock to give him 30 points in the game. But, those were the last points the Bengals would score, as the Lakers rallied once more this season to earn the victory.

Ward finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Michele tied a career-high with his 10 assists. Burridge followed 17 points and nine rebounds, while Sheridan added 14 points.

The game was part of a Play 4Kay event in conjunction with the national initiative by the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

The Lakers will honor the seniors before their final regular season game at 4 p.m. on Saturday against Fredonia.