CANTON, N.Y.—Sophomore forward Devyn Elliott (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) had a career-high 28 points and 24 rebounds as the SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (1-0) overpowered Cazenovia College (0-1) 77-62 on Friday evening. The victory advances the Bears to tomorrow's championship game of the SUNY Canton Kevin Fee Roos Classic. Sophomore guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) had 19 points and five steals, while freshman forward Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) posted a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds in her collegiate debut.
 
The teams battled evenly throughout the first quarter, but the Bears scored the last four points and held a 17-14 lead after 10 minutes. Elliott had six of the 17 points and Hunter scored four. Freshman guard Bella Barner (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) hit a three and Howard and freshman guard Caroline LaFountain (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) each had a bucket.
 
The Wildcats opened the second quarter with four points to briefly take an 18-17 lead, but Potsdam countered with a 13-2 run for a 30-20 advantage at the 4:35 mark. Elliott scored six more during the stretch and LaFountain had another four. Danielle Caivana got Cazenovia within three after scoring the next seven straight on a three and four free throws. Potsdam outscored the Wildcats 8-5 the rest of the half and took a 38-32 lead into the break. Barner and Elliott each drained threes in the closing minutes.
 
Cazenovia hung with the Bears over the first three minutes of the second half and an Alexis Tubbs made it a 44-40 at the 6:54 mark. Potsdam took off again with another 9-0 run for a 53-40 lead at 4:13, capped by a Hunter 3-pointer. The teams matched each other in scoring the rest of the way, but Hunter drained another three with four seconds left and the Bears took a 60-47 lead into the final quarter.
 
Potsdam put the game away with a 15-9 start to the final 10 minutes. Elliott sank a layup with 2:40 left to give the Bears their biggest lead of the contest at 75-56. The Wildcats finished with a 6-2 flourish, but ran out of time as Potsdam closed out the 15-point win.
 
Potsdam dominated the glass on the night, outrebounding Cazenovia 67-35. LaFountain and Barner each finished with nine points in the first college action.
 
Caivana led the Wildcats with 26 points and Amy Holland chipped in 11. Tubbs posted seven points and seven boards.
 
The Bears face the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at 3 p.m. in the championship game tomorrow afternoon.