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SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons Fall to Oswego in Men’s Basketball Semifinals
By MICHAEL CUSACK
SUNY Institute for Local News
OSWEGO
The SUNY Oneonta men’s basketball season came to an end on Friday, February 27, when the Red Dragons fell 83-69 to the SUNY Oswego Lakers in the State University of New York Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals, held at SUNY Cortland’s Corey Gym. Oswego got out to a fast start and their balanced play allowed them to maintain control. Oneonta finished the 2025-2026 season 17-9 overall.
Oswego took the lead early, opening the game with a 10-2 run that forced Oneonta to play a game of catch-up for the majority of the first half. The Lakers built a 38-25 halftime lead after Jayson McGhee knocked down a three-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half, sending the Red Dragons into the locker room to try and make some needed adjustments.
Oneonta, which finished the season with a program-best 15-3 in the SUNYAC league, struggled to find consistency on the offensive end against Oswego’s overwhelming defense. The Red Dragons shot below all their season averages and were outrebounded in key stretches, limiting second-chance opportunities to cut the deficit.
Sophomore guard Pat Evans led Oneonta with 27 points and nine rebounds, delivering several tough finishes at the rim to keep his team within striking distance. Sophomore forward Cam LaClair added 13 points and 11 rebounds, recording a double-double. Sophomore guard Nate Cohen contributed 10 points and eight boards as well.
Despite trailing by 18 points in the second half, Oneonta showed signs of life with a late push. A pair of transition baskets and a corner three-pointer cut the deficit to 11 with under four minutes remaining. However, Oswego answered with an and-one, which seemed to be the nail in the coffin as they went on to control the tempo down the stretch and seal the win.
Oswego was powered by a very aggressive but balanced offensive attack, highlighted by a 30-point performance from guard McGhee off the bench. Forward Deacon Judd added 19 points and 11 rebounds, as the Lakers improved to 23-4 on the season.
The loss marked the end of a memorable season for SUNY Oneonta’s Red Dragon men, who posted the best conference record in program history. The Red Dragons earned the No. 2 seed in conference play, which bought them their spot in the semi-final matchup with Oswego.
In a statement on the SUNY Oneonta Athletics website, Red Dragons head coach Cameron Conover said, “It’s not the ending we wanted. It was a tough physical game, and unfortunately, we didn’t shoot well. But our guys fought hard until the end.”
Several key contributors for Oneonta will graduate after this season, but they are expected to return to a strong core next season. “Our culture is at an all-time high because of the character of the guys we have. We have a lot to be proud of and a lot to build on,” Conover added. “I am excited for the future.”
Oswego advanced to the SUNYAC championship game on February 28, where they lost 84-51 to the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons. With the SUNYAC title, Cortland earned a spot in the 64-team NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament for the second year in a row. They defeated Franklin & Marshall College in the opening round on March 6 at Endicott College in Massachusetts, 75-66, but fell to Endicott in the next round by just one point, 58-57.
This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.
