OSWEGO, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (7-10, 5-7 SUNYAC) captured a key SUNYAC victory against Oswego State (12-9, 5-8 SUNYAC) Saturday afternoon. Senior forward Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) recorded her fifth double-double of the season registering 20 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Senior guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) put the Bears on the board first at 9:15 in the opening quarter. After allowing the Lakers to scored four straight points, Potsdam routed a 7-0 run to go ahead of Oswego 11-4 with 3:50 remaining in the quarter. Sophomore guard Xy'El Bradford (Syracuse, N.Y./Syracuse Academy of Science), sophomore guard Carley Hill (Essex, Vt./Rice Memorial), and Howard each scored during the run. Potsdam had a 14-9 advantage at the end of one.
 
The Bears registered another 6-0 run midway through the second quarter to extend the Potsdam lead 22-12. Senior forward Mandy Barnell (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) scored four points during the run. Two pairs of free throws allowed the Lakers to chip their way back into the game with 3:10 left to go in the quarter. Oswego trailed Potsdam 24-19. Two minutes later, sophomore guard Mikayla Shipley (North Chili, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) completed the old-fashioned three-point play to halt the Lakers momentum with 1:22 remaining. The Bears scored the last four points of the quarter, taking a comfortable 31-19 lead into the half.
 
Potsdam opened the third quarter with a three-pointer from Hunter to extend the Bears lead to 15 points. The Lakers had no answer for Howard as she continued to slice through the Oswego defense to score six straight points and take a commanding 40-21 lead midway through the third quarter. Sophomore Jenna Cotter (Johnson City, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) made a layup and a pair of free throws while sophomore Zavia Jaime (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford) sank a three to help the Bears end the quarter up 47-22.
 
The final quarter was no different as Potsdam kept their foot on the pedal. Shipley and Howard both tallied four points during the quarter as Potsdam continued to outscore Oswego 17-11 en route to a 64-33 win on the road.
 
Cotter posted 10 points and Barnell added eight points. Shipley registered a well-balanced performance with a 7 point, 7 rebound, and four assist showing for the Bears.
 
Giavanna White-Principio tallied 10 points while her teammate Logan Castiglione scored six to round out the scoring for the Lakers.
 
The Bears are off until next weekend when they travel to SUNY Brockport on Friday, February 3,  for a 5:30 tip-off with the Golden Eagles.