Bethlehem, PA – Senior guards AKBAR HOFFMAN and NATE NAHIRNY each scored 13 points. However, it would not be enough as Montclair State fell to Oswego State, 84-73, in the Steel Club Classic at Moravian College on Saturday evening.

Steven Breeman added 10 points for the Red Hawks (7-4), who dropped their second straight in their return to action following a 17-day layoff. Liam Sanborn tallied a game-high 22 points for the Lakers who snapped a 38-38 tie at halftime to improve to 6-2 on the season.

Each team held six-point leads during the first half but found themselves knotted at 38-38 after Brandon Gartland drained a three-point with 1:13 remaining that sent the squads into the locker room deadlocked. Oswego began the second half with the first five points on a layup by Jordan Brown and a three by Sanborn with 17:48 to go making the score 43-38.

Gartland would connect twice more from behind the arc, the second with just over 12 minutes remaining that put Oswego in front 55-47. Sanborn followed with two free throws with a triple by Jeremiah Spark pushing the Lakers' advantage to 13 points near the 11-minute mark.

Sanborn's three-pointer with six minutes left put Oswego in front 72-57 before MSU made e charge with a 12-2 run over the next two-plus minutes. Nahirny had seven of those points, including a fast-break layup pulling the Red Hawks within 74-69. Sanborn answered with a three and two free throws by Sparks with 3:07 showing boosted the lead back to 79-69.

JALEN PARHAM and JOSEPH RADI had nine-point apiece for Montclair State, which got eight points from IRVING CALLENDER IV. Nahirny led the team with four rebounds with Hoffman and EDDIE EMEDOH, each grabbing three.

The Red Hawks will face Ithaca College on Sunday, January 5, at 5:30 pm. It will be the final non-conference contest of the season for MSU, which heads to Rutgers-Newark for its return to conference play on Wednesday, January 8, at 8:00 pm.