POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (5-5, 1-3 SUNYAC) fell just short in a 69-66 contest with SUNY Fredonia (7-3, 2-1) on Saturday afternoon. Graduate student forward Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to record another double-double. Howard is now just four points from reaching 1000 for her career. Junior guard Barbara Bruno (Bronx, N.Y./Brooklyn High School for Law and Tech) scored 12 points for Potsdam.
 
The first quarter was a see-saw affair, with several lead changes and neither team leading by more than four points. With Potsdam trailing 6-2 at 7:51, junior guard Carley Hill (Essex, Vt./Rice Memorial) scored on a layup and Howard sank a three to put the Bears up 7-6. The Blue Devils countered with buckets from sophomore guard Kyla Smith (Sprakers, N.Y./Fonda-Fultonville) and freshman forward Payton Gilbert (Union Springs, N.Y./Union Springs) to build a three-point advantage at 5:46. Junior forward Jenna Cotter (Johnson City, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) and Bruno counter to give Potsdam a 11-10 lead. Fredonia then closed the opening 10-minutes with a 7-2 run, punctuated by a three from freshman forward Grace Alexander (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield). The Blue Devils led 17-13 after one.
 
Fredonia extended its lead to start the second quarter, but a three from Hill kept the Bears off the ropes and closed the gap to 22-18 at 7:58. The pattern continued. Hill drained another 3-pointer at 5:03 to cut a six-point deficit in half and Potsdam was down 26-23. Howard scored on a layup at 3:39 and the Bears trailed just 29-28. A layup and the following free throw from Bruno at 2:18 finally got Potsdam even again at 32-32. Bruno then scored on a layup to give the Bears their first lead of the quarter at 34-32 with 1:32 left. Howard scored with 40 seconds on the clock to make it 36-34 Bears, but Blue Devils junior forward Allie Wandell (Newark Valley, N.Y./Newark Valley) scored with 15 seconds left and the teams entered the break tied at 36.
 
The teams were separated by two points or less the entire third quarter. The Bears would grab a lead and Fredonia would draw even. The Blue Devils didn't regain the lead until 2:27 left on a layup from Smith that made it 45-43. Bears junior guards Xy'El Bradford (Syracuse, N.Y./Syracuse Academy of Science) quickly tied the game again with two free throws. Bruno was fouled on a successful layup with 49 seconds remaining and then put Potsdam back up with the ensuing free throw. Potsdam led 48-47 after 30 minutes.   
 
Howard and junior guard Zavia Jaime (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford) each gave the Bears three-point leads early in the fourth quarter, but Fredonia kept coming. An Alexander three at 6:52 gave the Blue Devils a 58-54 edge. A layup from junior guard Mary Culeton (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) extended Fredonia's lead to 64-58 with 5:05 left, but Hill countered with a three to get Potsdam back within three. Defense at both ends of the court locked down the scoring for the rest of the game. With 14 seconds left and the Bears trailing 67-64, Howard tied up the ball to gain possession. After a time out, Cotter scored to make it 67-66 with eight seconds left. Potsdam fouled Alexander on the following in-bound and she hit both free throws to make it 69-66. Potsdam made a final charge, but was unable to tie the contest as the Blue Devils held on for the win.
 
Hill and Cotter each scored 11 for the Bears.
 
Alexander led Fredonia with a game-high 21 points. Wandell and Culeton each scored 12 points and Wandell corralled 14 boards.
 
The Bears are back in action on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. when they host North Country rival Plattsburgh State in a critical SUNYAC contest.