CAZENOVIA, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (7-2) blew out Cazenovia College (1-10) 80-53 on Tuesday night with a big second half. Junior guard
Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) led all scorers with 18 points, as well as contributing three steals and four assists. Junior forward
Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) posted the 12th double-double of her career with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Junior guard
Madison McCormick (Heuvelton, N.Y./Heuvelton) had 10 points and four steals.
After trailing 4-0 in the opening minutes, the Bears went on a 15-1 run. Sophomore guard
Bella Barner (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) started the run with a 3-pointer. McCormick also hit a three during the burst and freshman guard
Xy'El Bradford (Syracuse, N.Y./Syracuse Academy of Science) closed the stretch with one. Potsdam led 17-7 with 3:56 left in the quarter. Another Bradford three put the Bears up 26-13 at 0:54 and Potsdam held a 26-15 advantage after 10 minutes. Howard and Bradford each had six in the quarter and McCormick chipped in five.
A 10-5 surge to start the second quarter got the Wildcats within six at 5:43. Riley Miner scored on a layup to make it 31-25. Hunter answered immediately for Potsdam, knocking down a three on the Bears' next possession. The long range bucket sparked a 9-2 run. A Howard layup made it 40-27 at 2:30, matching Potsdam's biggest lead of the half. Cazenovia scored the last five points before the break and the Bears were up 40-32 after 20 minutes. Hunter hit two threes during the quarter and Howard added four points to her total.
After trailing by 13 twice early in the contest, the Wildcats scored the first six points of the third quarter and an Ashley Scott basket got Cazenovia within 40-38 at 5:39. The scare woke up Potsdam's offense and a 12-3 run built by five different players put the Bears up by a comfortable margin again at 52-41 with 1:15 left in the quarter. Potsdam led 54-45 after 30 minutes.
The Bears buried Cazenovia in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 26-8. Potsdam opened the last period with another 10-2 run and a Hunter layup made it 64-47 at 6:04. After a mini-run from the Wildcats narrowed the gap to 11 at 5:02, the Bears answered with the knockout blow. Potsdam scored 16 straight points and held Cazenovia scoreless for the remainder of the contest to close out the 80-53 victory. Hunter had seven points in the fourth quarter and sophomore guard
Caroline LaFountain (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) scored five points. Freshman guard
Kelsey Bennett (Chippewa Bay, N.Y./Hammond) hit a three in the final minutes.
Junior forward
Alyson Crosby (Brier Hill, N.Y./Hammond) had a strong night with five points and 10 rebounds for the Bears. Junior forward
Mandy Barnell (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) was also solid with six points and 10 boards.
Bailey Bennett led the Wildcats with 15 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Arrianna Henry scored 10 points and added six rebounds.
Potsdam outrebounded Cazenovia 51-41 and forced 34 Wildcat turnovers.
The Bears are now off until January 7, when they head to Buffalo State for a 5:30 p.m. SUNYAC contest.
