PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (4-7, 1-4 SUNYAC) fell at Plattsburgh State (4-8, 1-4) 72-69 on Tuesday night. Freshman forward Devyn Elliot (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) led Potsdam with 22 points and eight rebounds. Freshman guard
Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) finished with 16 points and sophomore center
Naya Walters (Bronx, N.Y./Women's Academy of Excellence) had another double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Elliott opened up the scoring for the Bears and scored the first six points for the visitors. The first quarter saw a lot of lead changes between the two teams. The Cardinals shot the ball well from distance, hitting three 3-pointers. The lead changes continued until the end of the quarter. First with Bella DePasquale tying up the ball game 11-11 with a catch and shoot 3-pointer from the top of the key. The Bears then responded when
Dyamon Hunter went the full length of the court for a successful drive to make it 14-11 Bears. Kelly Degnan hit a jumper on the last possession of the first on a pass from Ly'rell Walker. Potsdam led 14-13 after 10 minutes of action.
The Cardinals put themselves up a point after a jumper inside by Taylor Durnin to open the second quarter. Walker gave Plattsburgh their largest lead of the half at 19-14 after the team was able to secure an offensive rebound. She attacked her defender inside for an easy layup. Following the basket, the Bears went on a 13-4 run, largely due to their aggressiveness in the paint, leading to free throws and baskets inside. With the game tied at the closing seconds of the half, Lauren Lawliss was able to catch her teammate's missed jumper and put the ball in the basket for a buzzer beater. The offensive putback gave Plattsburgh a 29-27 advantage going into the break.
Walters scored the first seven points for Potsdam in the third quarter. First with an and-one basket to open up the scoring for both teams, followed by back-to-back layups. Hunter's midrange jumper put the Bears up 38-32, their largest lead of the game. The Cardinals responded with back-to-back 3-pointers by DePasquale and Durnin to close within 41-38. The two teams continued to exchange baskets for the remainder of the quarter. Devyn Elliot closed the period with free throws, putting the Bears up 49-46.
Plattsburgh regained the lead early in the fourth with an 8-0 run. A free throw by Durnin put Plattsburgh up 50-49 with 9:10 left and the Cardinals never trailed again. A 6-0 Potsdam stretch on a jumper from sophomore forward
Nicole Hansen (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley), two free throws from Hunter and a layup from Elliott got Potsdam even at 60-60 with 4:12 left. Free throws and a DePasquale three gave Plattsburgh a 68-64 lead at 1:11. Potsdam responded on the very next play with a 3-pointer of its own from sophomore guard
Carly Shear (Newark, N.Y./Newark) to make it a one point game and force a Cardinal timeout. Coming out of the break, Plattsburgh was immediately fouled by the Bears and Walker made one of two to extend the Cardinals' advantage back to two. Durnin was able to draw a charge on Potsdam during the next possession and made both free throws, putting Plattsburgh up four with 30 seconds remaining. After a missed Plattsburgh free throw on the next possession, senior guard
Riley Luckie (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) made an open left handed layup. The Bears then fouled Plattsburgh again and Quinn made a free throw to make the score 72-69 with six seconds left. With no timeouts, the Luckie was forced to put up a prayer from half court that missed and the Cardinals held on.
Durnin had a game-high 26 points in the win, while DePasquale added 16 points and seven rebounds. Walker chipped in with nine points, five rebounds and two blocks.
The Bears finally return home on Friday when they take on Buffalo State at 5:30 p.m. in Jerry Welsh Gymnasium.
