POTSDAM, N.Y.--The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball (1-3) made a fourth quarter push, but Clarkson University (2-1) held on for a 78-70 win on Tuesday evening. Sophomore guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) led the Bears with 19 points and freshman guard Caroline LaFountain (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) recorded a career-high 17 points. Sophomore forward Devyn Elliott (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) and freshman forward Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) each added 15, with Howard's being a personal best.
 
The Golden Knights and Bears traded baskets for the entire first quarter, looking to separate themselves, but Clarkson held a slim 20-17 advantage after 10 minutes. LaFountain gave Potsdam a spark right out of the gate with seven points and Elliott scored five.
 
Clarkson opened the second quarter with an 8-2 run for a 28-19 lead at 5:36, but the Bears answered with a 9-2 run and were within 30-28 four minutes later. LaFountain hit a 3-pointer during the stretch, while Elliott, Hunter and freshman guard Tsai Lewis (Cortland, N.Y./Cortland) each added buckets. A 5-2 spurt in the last 80 seconds of the half gave the Golden Knights a 35-30 advantage at the break.
 
Clarkson again opened with a mini-run of 8-4 to take a 43-34 lead at 8:43 of third quarter, but still couldn't shake the Bears. Potsdam outscored the Golden Knights 14-7 over the next six minutes, capped by an Elliott jumper and the Bears were down 50-48 with 2:50 left. After two Clarkson layups, LaFountain closed the scoring and Potsdam trailed 54-50 after 30 minutes. Elliott had six more in the quarter, while LaFountain and Howard each added five.
 
The pattern followed in the final 10 minutes, a burst by Clarkson and an answer by the Bears. The Golden Knights used an 8-2 run for a 62-50 lead with 8:16 to play and Potsdam answered with a 16-5 run to get within 67-66 at the 2:47 mark. Hunter began the run with a layup and supplied added two more baskets along the way. Another Hunter layup closed kept the Bears down one at 69-68 with 2:04 remaining. Unfortunately, Potsdam couldn't grab the lead after a late jumper and 3-pointer from Hannah Earl to cement the 78-70 Clarkson win.
 
Molly Stewart paced the Golden Knights with 20 points, seven boards and five assists. Earl finished with 16 points and Emma Buonanno had 14 and five rebounds.
 
Potsdam outshot Clarkson 52.6-percent to 45.1.
 
The Bears are back in action on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they head to St. Lawrence University.