The Brockport Golden Eagles men’s basketball team fell 78-72 to former SUNYAC rival SUNY Oswego. In a fast-paced game, the Golden Eagles were led by junior Zach Rice who scored 16 points in the loss. 

“We just didn’t play how Brockport usually plays,” Rice said. “We didn’t follow the scout, and we weren’t talking on the floor.” 

The Golden Eagles went up 3-2 after a Rice three-pointer early in the first half. After that, the Golden Eagles never lead again. 

With 7:56 left in the first, the Golden Eagles were down 28-19. After stringing together a couple of baskets, they cut it to a three-point deficit. Then, the Lakers and the Golden Eagles went back and forth for the remaining time in the first and the Golden Eagles were trailing 35-29 going into the break. 

“We weren’t doing what we do in practice,” Brockport head coach Joe Clarke said. “We needed to get downhill, get to the paint and then read the floor.” 

Coming out of the half, the Golden Eagles cut it to 40-39 after a pair of Jacob Oka free throws. Lakers guard Xavier Allen had an answer. He hit a three and then a layup to extend the Lakers lead. 

Under six minutes remained when Rice hit a three for the Golden Eagles to cut the lead to two. Then it was Allen again for the Lakers who had the response. On the Lakers’ next two possessions, he hit two threes which started an 8-0 run for the Lakers and the Golden Eagles couldn’t claw back in. 

Oka ended his night with 12 points, Alex Tavarez added nine points and Adewale Fasanmi finished with seven points. Tony Arnold finished with eight rebounds, seven assists and seven steals. Allen led the Lakers with 24 points and Steven Bradley added 13 in the win. 

“Right now the offense is stagnant,” Rice said. “It’s a lot of pass and hold and our game plan is always pass, move and swing. We just held it too much and we didn’t put up enough points to win.” 

The Golden Eagles move to 1-4 and will travel to St. Joseph’s University Long Island on Nov. 26 with tip-off at 5 p.m.