POTSDAM, N.Y.—Clarkson University (2-1) used a big run in the fourth quarter to defeat the SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (1-2) 61-56 on Tuesday night. The biggest story for the Bears was senior guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) scoring 11 points to become the seventh player in program history to reach 1,000. Potsdam senior forward Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) was also impressive, leading all scorers with 23 points along with 12 rebounds.
 
Clarkson struck first, but Howard answered with a 3-pointer and layup for a 5-2 Potsdam lead. Another Howard layup gave Potsdam an 8-6 advantage at 3:31, but the Golden Knights countered with a 8-0 run, including five in-a-row from sophomore guard Cassidy Dumont (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills Comprehensive). Clarkson led 14-8 after one. Howard scored all eight Potsdam points in the first 10 minutes.
 
Junior guard Bella Barner (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) opened the second quarter with a three and capped a 10-4 run with another to get the Bears even at 18-18 with 5:55 left in the half. Potsdam played catchup for much of the second, but never fell away. Hunter tied the game at 20-20 with a layup. The bucket gave her 1,000 points for her career. Howard then made it 22-all with another layup. Clarkson scored eight of the next 10 points for a 30-24 lead at 1:32. Sophomore guard Xy'El Bradford (Syracuse, N.Y./Syracuse Academy of Science) started another comeback, with a 3-point play at 1:03. Hunter then capped the half with a 3-pointer and the teams entered the break even at 30-30. Hunter led the Bears in the second quarter with seven points.
 
Potsdam started the third quarter with a 7-2 run sparked by a three from sophomore guard Carley Hill (Essex, Vt./Rice Memorial). Hunter and Howard followed with layups as the Bears were up 37-32 at 6:56. Howard got hot again, scoring five straight for a 40-36 advantage at 5:36. The Bears scored six of the last nine points of the third and led 46-39 after 30 minutes. Howard added seven points to her total in the quarter.
 
The Golden Knights opened the fourth quarter on a 13-0 run to grab a 52-46 lead with 4:59 remaining. Dumont scored five points during the run. Senior guard Caroline LaFountain (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) broke the drought with a layup at 3:53. Howard scored at 2:41 to trim Clarkson's lead to 56-50. Two free throws from Howard got the Bears within 57-52 with 1:03 left. Howard and Clarkson continued to trade baskets, but Potsdam couldn't gain ground. Hunter scored on a layup with 14 seconds on the clock, but neither side scored again in the 61-56 final.
 
Clarkson had balanced scoring in the contest. Sophomore guard Lauryn Withrow (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) and senior guard Mariah Benavides (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) each scored 11 points. Dumont finished with 10. Freshman forward Bella Doyle (Heuvelton, N.Y./Heuvelton) had nine points and a team-high 12 boards and sophomore guard Veronica Tache (Middleton, Mass./Bishop Frank) also scored nine.
 
Clarkson shot 41.2-percent from the floor and held Potsdam to 30.3. The Bears dominated the glass, outrebounding the Golden Knights 54-36.
 
With her 11 points, Hunter (1009) is now just one point behind Rachel Graf '10 for sixth place on the program's scoring list.
 
The Bears are now off for one week when they host Plattsburgh State next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. to open SUNYAC play.