PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (1-1) fell to SUNY Cobleskill (1-2) 80-73 to conclude the Plattsburgh Cardinal Classic. Senior forward Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) nearly registered a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds. Senior guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) posted 17 points and seven assists. After today's game, Hunter is now only two points away from reaching the 1,000-point mark for her career.
 
The Bears struggled early coming out of the gates, allowing the Fighting Tigers to go on a 9-4 run to start the opening quarter. At 6:23, Hunter managed to snake her way into the paint for a layup to keep Potsdam within three. A minute later, Howard scored two quick layups in the post to give the Bears some momentum with 5:18 remaining. As the quarter progressed, the Bears were down four points at 4:14 when sophomore guard Mikayla Shipley (North Chili, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) fed sophomore guard Xy'El Bradford (Syracuse, N.Y./Syracuse Academy of Science) on the block for a layup. On the following play down the court, Shipley managed to locate senior forward Mandy Barnell (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) for another quick post feed that resulted in two. Cobleskill took a 22-18 lead into the second quarter.
 
The Fighting Tigers went on a 4-0 run to start the second quarter, but the Bears were not fazed. At 8:08, Howard scored two points in the paint off a feed from Hunter, trimming the Cobleskill lead to six. Keeping the play alive, Howard managed to grab an offensive rebound and pass the ball back out to the perimeter. Resetting the play, Hunter threw a dime to sophomore guard Carley Hill (Essex, Vt./Rice Memorial) resulting in a made jumper. At 4:38 remaining, junior guard Caroline LaFountain (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) grabbed a rebound and threw a pass to Hill on the break to score a basket. Potsdam ties Cobleskill at 28. With five seconds left in the quarter, and Cobleskill leading by one, Hunter made a steal to start the break. With time ready to expire, Hunter was fouled, which resulted in two free throws. She sank both, giving Potsdam the 35-34 lead at halftime.
 
Scoring was hard to come by in the first three minutes of the third quarter. At 7:13, the Fighting Tigers hit three consecutive three-pointers to go on a 10-1 run. Cobleskill now led the Bears 49-38 with 4:34 left. Late in the quarter, the Bears scored four points from Howard and Hunter to put Potsdam within six. The Fighting Tigers led 53-45 after three.
 
 The Fighting Tigers continued to stifle the Bears as they went on a 14-7 run to begin the quarter. With 5:02 remaining, the Bears began a 12-3 run of their own. Howard scored six points and Hill hit a timely three to put the Bears within four points of the Fighting Tigers with 1:29 remaining. Despite the comeback effort, Cobleskill sank five free throws in the final 33 seconds to put the game out of reach, sealing the victory for the Fighting Tigers.
 
The Bears are scheduled to compete next at St. Lawrence University on Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.