CANTON, N.Y.-- The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (1-2) had a strong third quarter performance to defeat SUNY Cobleskill (3-2) 72-58, Saturday afternoon in the first round of the Kevin Fee Roos Classic. Freshman forward Devyn Elliott (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) had a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds.  

The Bears started the game with an 11-5 run. During the stretch, Elliott had five points and senior guard Riley Luckie (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg) hit a pair of shots beyond the arc. The Fighting Tigers ended the quarter on a 9-0 push to give them a 14-11 lead. Four players scored for Cobleskill, with Kristena Westerfeld leading the charge with four points.

The Fighting Tigers were up seven with 6:16 remaining in the half when the Bears went on a 10-0 run. Senior forward Victoria Shopovick (White Plains, N.Y./Maria Regina), senior guard Abbey Smith (Bainbridge, N.Y./Bainbridge-Guilford), sophomore center Naya Walters (Bronx, N.Y./Women's Academy of Excellence), freshman guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy), and Elliott each had a bucket during the stretch. For the remaining couple minutes the lead went back-and-forth, but Potsdam ended the half up 29-28 after a made jump shot by sophomore forward Nicole Hansen (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley).

The Bears came firing out of the gates in the third with a 21-4 run. Five players scored for Potsdam with Elliott leading the group with six points, while Smith and junior guard Leah Giavatto (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) both had five. The Bears ended the third up 51-38 against the Fighting Tigers.

Through the first few minutes, Cobleskill could only narrow the gap to 10. With 5:13 remaining in the game, Hunter converted a three point play and started a late 14-5 stretch. Hunter and Elliott each had six during the push, and freshman guard Amanda Maresca (Marlboro, N.J./Marlboro) ended the run with a layup. The Fighting Tigers got the last five points, but it was not enough and the Bears won 72-58.

Hunter finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Walters had four points, 12 rebounds and led Potsdam with three blocks. Smith ended the day with eight points, six steals and five assists.

Addy Lawson led Cobleskill with 18 points and had nine rebounds. Westerfeld finished with a 14 point, 10 rebound double-double, while three other Fighting Tigers finished with seven points.

The Bears had a 49-36 rebound advantage, and shot 40.0% from the field while the Fighting Tigers shot 37.7%.  

Potsdam is back in action tomorrow against SUNY Canton at 1 p.m. for the final day of the Kevin Fee Roos Classic.