Potsdam, NY - It has been more than 65 years since a member of the Clarkson University Men's Basketball team could say that they were part of a team that started 6-0, but that changed on Tuesday night when the Golden Knights outlasted Potsdam State 67-61 to pick up a sixth straight win to open the 2014-15 campaign.

The Golden Knights moved to 6-0 with the win, becoming only the fifth team to do so in program history and the first since the 1947-48 season, which began that year 7-0. Clarkson will look to match that start on Friday night when it hosts Elmira College.

The Knights scored on their first possession of the game on Tuesday and never trailed against the Bears, scoring 10 straight points after Potsdam had tied the game up 2-2 for a large advantage in the early moments. That run proved to be the difference in the game, as Potsdam cut the margin to as few as six points on a handful of occasions in the half, but could get no closer. The second half was more of the same, as the Knights had an answer for the Bears every time it appeared as if Potsdam could make it less than a two-possession game. Following a put back by Derek Hart (Poughkeepsie, NY) at the 14:27 mark, Clarkson edged out to a 15-point lead, and pushed it to 16 points a few minutes later, but the Bears would not go away quietly. Clarkson held a double-digit advantage with less than five minutes to go (61-50) on a John Coleman (Potsdam, NY) lay up, but Potsdam pulled to witin seven points with less than two minutes to go. A shot clock violation called on Clarkson did burn some valuable seconds for Potsdam, but the Bears buried a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to pull within four with 34 seconds to go. However, Coleman and Jeremy Liss (Vestal, NY) each made a free throw after being fouled on defensive rebounds on the other end and pushed the final margin to six.

Coleman finished with 21 points, shooting 8-for-15 from the floor after suffering from a slow start, and Conrad Zampier (East Greenbush, NY) scored a career-high 15 points, going 6-for-9 from the field. Felix Abongo (Beacon, NY) also chipped in eight points, eight boards, and five assists, and Dylan Hodownes (Honeoye Falls, NY) added eight points, six rebounds, and four assists. For Potsdam, Rishawd Hendricks scored 18 points, going 7-for-11 from the floor, while Zac Adams and Greg Torchon each scored 10 for the Bears.