POTSDAM, N.Y.—
Liv LeBaron (Corning/Corning East) finished with a game-high 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while
Katie Villarini (Hamburg/Hamburg) chipped in 21 points on 5 of 9 shooting from the 3-point line but it was not enough as Potsdam held off a late Buffalo State rally to claim an 84-79 win in SUNYAC play this evening.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Potsdam – 84, Buffalo State – 79
LOCATION: Jerry Welsh Gymnasium – Potsdam, N.Y.
RECORDS: Potsdam (5-7, 2-4 SUNYAC), Buffalo State (8-4, 2-3 SUNYAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- LeBaron paced the Bengals' offense by shooting 9 of 18 from the floor, while Villarini added four rebounds and four assists.
- Jenna Faulkner (Lockport/Starpoint) chipped in 12 points and a career-high seven assists.
- Princella McCullough (Rochester/Bishop Kearney) notched her third double-double in as many games with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
- Both teams battled throughout the first quarter with a late Potsdam jumper providing a 23-20 cushion after 10 minutes of action.
- The Bears pushed its lead to 42-30 with less than a minute remaining before halftime off the strength of a 19-10 run, but saw its lead cut to 42-33 with a late 3-pointer by Villarini.
- After finding itself down by its largest deficit, 60-35, with six minutes left in the third quarter, Buffalo State closed the frame on a 13-5 run to trim the lead to 65-48 after 30 minutes of action.
- The Bengals rallied for much of the fourth quarter until a 3-pointer from LeBaron shrunk the lead to 78-75 with under a minute remaining.
- Potsdam answered the run with six made free-throws in the final minute to preserve the win.
- Buffalo State held a 10-3 advantage in bench production but couldn't overcome a 16-5 disadvantage in second chance points.
FOR THE FOES
- Devyn Elliot led the Bears with 23 points and 10 rebounds
- Dyamon Hunter and Naya Walters each chipped in 19 points with Walters adding a game-high 18 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Buffalo State concludes its annual trip to the North Country with a 2 p.m. showdown with Plattsburgh.
