Jan 31, 2014
Box Score
POTSDAM, NY – Behind a career high from 21 sophomore guard Christine Rivera (Long Beach, NY/Valley Stream), the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team avenged an earlier season loss in registering a 76-66 victory over SUNY Potsdam on Friday night in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play at Jerry Welsh Gymnasium.
The Hawks, who led the contest from start-to-finish, saw four players score in double figures in registering their season best field goal shooting performance (43 percent) and their highest scoring output in SUNYAC play. Buoyed by Rivera's proficient shooting (7-for-9 from the field, 2-for-2 three-pointers) and 7-for-8 second half free throw shooting from junior guard Shannan Walker (Vestal, NY/Vestal), New Paltz built a 64-50 lead with 3:05 to play, and scored all of its last 12 points off free throws, seven of which came from Walker.
The victory improves New Paltz to 4-14, 2-9 in the SUNYAC. Potsdam drops to 4-13, 2-8. The Hawks head to SUNY Plattsburgh for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday while Potsdam hosts SUNY Oneonta at 2 p.m.
For all intents and purposes, the Hawks made their biggest statement toward earning the victory in the first half. On three occasions the Bears whittled down a New Paltz lead to get within three points, but never got any closer. The Hawk offense was clicking at just the right time and got either a clutch basket or key free throws to ensure Potsdam never secured a lead.
The game was only tied once, 14-14 at the 11:27 mark and then New Paltz surged ahead 26-14 over the next four minutes, capped by a three-pointer from Walker. Potsdam stormed back to get within three points, 27-24, with its biggest run of the contest with 5:08 until halftime. That 10-1 run saw the Bears knock down two three-pointers and get five of those points from senior forward Jessica Kouzan. The Bears would come within three points three more times in the final five minutes before break, but New Paltz, behind Rivera's 10 points on perfect shooting, led 37-32 at intermission.
Rivera and freshman forward Courtney Irby (Farmingdale, NY/Farmingdale) pushed the New Paltz led to 41-32 within the first minute of the first half, and Potsdam make its last real charge, getting four points from Kouzan to come within 41-38. Over the next four minutes, the Hawks built an 11-point lead, getting back-to-back three-pointers from Rivera and Walker to create a workable margin. In building its 14-point lead, the Hawks got terrific offensive play from freshman forward Kit Small (Slingerlands, NY/Academy of the Holy Name), who had nine of her 14 points in the second half. A Rivera layup with 3:05 to play was the last field goal the Hawks scored. Potsdam had 32 team fouls, leading to 27 New Paltz points, 15 in the second half.
For the Hawks, it was a concentrated team defensive effort that forced Potsdam into 24 turnovers and an 11 percent shooting mark from three-point range in the second half.
Beside's Rivera's 21 points, Walker added 15 points (nine off free throws), Small 14 points — her sixth straight double figures scoring game — and Irby with 12. Small had nine boards. Kouzan had 22 points and 10 points for Potsdam.
POTSDAM, NY – Behind a career high from 21 sophomore guard Christine Rivera (Long Beach, NY/Valley Stream), the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team avenged an earlier season loss in registering a 76-66 victory over SUNY Potsdam on Friday night in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play at Jerry Welsh Gymnasium.
The Hawks, who led the contest from start-to-finish, saw four players score in double figures in registering their season best field goal shooting performance (43 percent) and their highest scoring output in SUNYAC play. Buoyed by Rivera's proficient shooting (7-for-9 from the field, 2-for-2 three-pointers) and 7-for-8 second half free throw shooting from junior guard Shannan Walker (Vestal, NY/Vestal), New Paltz built a 64-50 lead with 3:05 to play, and scored all of its last 12 points off free throws, seven of which came from Walker.
The victory improves New Paltz to 4-14, 2-9 in the SUNYAC. Potsdam drops to 4-13, 2-8. The Hawks head to SUNY Plattsburgh for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday while Potsdam hosts SUNY Oneonta at 2 p.m.
For all intents and purposes, the Hawks made their biggest statement toward earning the victory in the first half. On three occasions the Bears whittled down a New Paltz lead to get within three points, but never got any closer. The Hawk offense was clicking at just the right time and got either a clutch basket or key free throws to ensure Potsdam never secured a lead.
The game was only tied once, 14-14 at the 11:27 mark and then New Paltz surged ahead 26-14 over the next four minutes, capped by a three-pointer from Walker. Potsdam stormed back to get within three points, 27-24, with its biggest run of the contest with 5:08 until halftime. That 10-1 run saw the Bears knock down two three-pointers and get five of those points from senior forward Jessica Kouzan. The Bears would come within three points three more times in the final five minutes before break, but New Paltz, behind Rivera's 10 points on perfect shooting, led 37-32 at intermission.
Rivera and freshman forward Courtney Irby (Farmingdale, NY/Farmingdale) pushed the New Paltz led to 41-32 within the first minute of the first half, and Potsdam make its last real charge, getting four points from Kouzan to come within 41-38. Over the next four minutes, the Hawks built an 11-point lead, getting back-to-back three-pointers from Rivera and Walker to create a workable margin. In building its 14-point lead, the Hawks got terrific offensive play from freshman forward Kit Small (Slingerlands, NY/Academy of the Holy Name), who had nine of her 14 points in the second half. A Rivera layup with 3:05 to play was the last field goal the Hawks scored. Potsdam had 32 team fouls, leading to 27 New Paltz points, 15 in the second half.
For the Hawks, it was a concentrated team defensive effort that forced Potsdam into 24 turnovers and an 11 percent shooting mark from three-point range in the second half.
Beside's Rivera's 21 points, Walker added 15 points (nine off free throws), Small 14 points — her sixth straight double figures scoring game — and Irby with 12. Small had nine boards. Kouzan had 22 points and 10 points for Potsdam.