CLINTON, N.Y. – It took eight minutes and 30 seconds for Hamilton College to open up a 20-point lead against the SUNY Potsdam Bears and the Continentals never looked back in their 100-59 non-conference win on Hamilton's Coach Tom Murphy Court inside Margaret Bundy Scott Field House on Tuesday evening, Nov. 18.
Season Update
- Hamilton (1-1 overall) rebounded nicely from a four-point setback against Ithaca College in the season opener on Nov. 15. The Continentals received votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Preseason Poll.
- Potsdam (0-2) started their season with two losses for the fifth consecutive year.
How It Happened
- Bryson Brown gave the Bears their only lead, hitting a 3-pointer for a 3-2 edge 1:22 into the first half.
- Hamilton responded with a 19-2 run in the next five minutes, highlighted by two Matthew Rideout '27 threes just 19 seconds apart.
- The Continentals' hot streak was punctuated by a tough rebound and putback layup by Nate Raub '27 that made the score 21-5.
- Potsdam cut its deficit to 10 at 36-26 with 6:28 left in the half, but the Continentals posted a 12-3 spurt for a 48-29 lead. David Melson '29 splashed a corner three that capped off the stretch. Hamilton held a 50-32 advantage at the break.
- The Continentals extended their lead to 26 points with 14:37 remaining as they worked the ball around the court before Rideout found Jack Stowell '27 at the wing and his 3-pointer found nothing but net.
- With 7:49 left, Max Murash '28 got out on a fast break and passed the ball to Omar Kulenovic '28 who emphatically slammed a dunk down and built the Hamilton lead to 32 points at 77-45.
- The Continentals' cushion reached 43 points twice, including with about a minute to go when Alister Walsh '29 hit a 3-pointer for Hamilton's 100th point.
Notes
- Rideout led Hamilton with a career high-tying 17 points to go with four assists.
- Evan O'Reilly '29 dropped in 16 points in just 13 minutes off the bench.
- Melson was 6-of-7 from the field and finished with 15 points in his first collegiate start.
- Raub grabbed a team-high eight rebounds to go along with nine points.
- Femi Ogundijo '29 made his debut and scored his first four collegiate points.
- Murash played nine minutes off the bench and made his first basket for the Continentals.
- Jaylen Singh led the way for Potsdam with 10 points and Mike Hancock and Timothy Hardy chipped in nine apiece.
- The Continentals outscored the Bears 42-20 in the paint.
- Hamilton held a 52-37 advantage on the glass and blocked 10 shots.
- The Continentals went 13-of-28 from beyond the arc and shot 51.4 percent (37-72) from the floor overall.
- Potsdam shot just 28.8 percent (19-66) from the floor, including 7-of-18 from long range, and 58.3 percent (14-24) at the free-throw line.
- The Continentals reached triple digits in points for the first time since Nov. 13, 2022, when they defeated SUNY Old Westbury, 107-59.
Next Game
Hamilton travels to Hobart College to play SUNY Fredonia (0-3) in the Hobart Tournament on Friday, Nov. 21 at 7:15 p.m.
