ONEONTA, N.Y. –The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (3-4, 1-1 SUNYAC) earned an 84-77 victory Saturday at SUNY Oneonta against the Red Dragons (2-5, 0-2 SUNYAC). In a game where the Red Dragons made several runs to gain the lead, the Bears were able to answer. Freshman guard Caroline LaFountain (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) scored a career and game-high 21 points, making five shots behind-the-arc. Sophomore forward Devyn Elliott (Bronx, N.Y./ Cardinal Spellman) finished with 20 points and pulled down seven boards.
 
LaFountain started the game with a shot inside. Fountain's 3-pointer at the 6:17 mark gave the Bears an early 10-4 lead. The teams traded baskets for the remaining five minutes, with Potsdam owning the 24-20 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter.
 
Freshman forward Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) and sophomore guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) scored the first eight points of the second quarter for the Bears. The Red Dragons kept themselves in the game, frequently getting to the free-throw line. As Oneonta was on the verge of tying the game, freshman guard Tsai Lewis (Cortland, N.Y./Cortland) caught an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and made the putback to give Potsdam at 40-36 advantage with 1:50 left in the half. Threes were exchanged by the LaFountain and Oneonta freshman guard Kelsey Terrell on back-to-back possessions to close the half. The Bears led 43-39 after two quarters.
 
The Red Dragons came out hot in the second half, coming within 45-44 after a three from the corner by freshman guard Olivia Dobrovosky. Potsdam responded once again, this time with a 9-2 run, wrapped up by a LaFountain fast break layup. Two free throws by Howard at the 1:05 mark gave the Bears their largest lead of the afternoon at 11.
 
In the fourth, Oneonta cut the lead to four with 3:43 remaining, but LaFountain halted the run with two 3-pointers from the top of the key. This gave Potsdam a  81-71 lead with just under three minutes to play. The Bears defense held off the Red Dragons the rest of the way for the 84-77 win.
 
Center Casey Hayes had a double-double for Oneonta, scoring 18 points and snagging 13 rebounds. Freshman guard Margaret Nardelli chipped in with 14 points.
 
The Bears got 18 points apiece from Howard and Hunter. Potsdam shot 42 percent from the field and 39 percent from three and Oneonta shot 39 percent and was 33 percent from behind-the-arc.
 
The Bears are back in action a week from today in New York City as they take on City College of New York at 6:30 p.m.