ONEONTA, N.Y.—Senior Mary Kate O'Connell (Altamont, Guilderland) scored a season high 14 points in leading the SUNY Oneonta women's basketball team to a 58-41 victory today at home versus Buffalo State. Oneonta shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half as they raise its overall record to 10-1 while remaining undefeated in the SUNYAC at 4-0. The loss for the Bengals drops them to 5-5 overall while staying winless in the conference at 0-4.

The Red Dragons opened the second half with a 7-3 run to increase its nine-point halftime lead to 13 points at the 15:39 mark. A three-point basket by Samantha Szkotak (New York Mills, New York Mills) gave Oneonta its largest lead of the contest at 35-22.

Buffalo State wouldn't go quietly as the crept back into the game with a 14-5 run over the next four minutes to cut Oneonta's lead back to four points at 38-34 with 11:58 remaining in the game. Sophomore Staci McElroy, who led all scorers in the game with 22 points, scored seven of them during the run.

Oneonta seized control of the game with six unanswered to get its lead back to double digits with 8:14 to play. A jumper by senior Rebecca Bucci (Marlboro, Our Lady of Lourdes) at the 2:33 mark gave Oneonta a 54-39 lead as they cruised in for the win from there. Bucci had a team high nine rebounds to go with her five points.

Buffalo State had an early 6-2 lead through the first three minutes and thirty seconds of the game. McElroy had a pair of baskets to get off and running for the Bengals.

After the score was tied at nine apiece at the 12:01 mark, the Bengals scored six straight to take a 15-9 lead before the Red Dragons began its closing run.

The Oneonta bench fueled the late first half run, outscoring Buffalo State's reserves 13-0 in the opening twenty minutes. Senior Erika Puffer (Unadilla, Unatego), who had 11 points in the game, scored six of her 11 points in the first half on back-to-back three-point plays that gave Oneonta a lead of 19-17. The Red Dragons continued its run en route to a 26-17 lead at the break.

Oneonta will continue its home stand this coming Tuesday when they host Oswego for a SUNAC contest beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Newspaper Box Score
ONEONTA STATE 58, BUFFALO STATE 41

BUFFALO STATE (5-5/0-4)
McELROY, Staci 8-20 4-7 22; KILISZEK, Barb 3-18 2-2 8; RITCH, Kristin 2-9 0-0 6; LAYNE, Dee 1-4 1-2 3; SEBUHARARA, Devine 1-4 0-0 2; BELL, Jazmine 0-3 0-0 0; THOMPSON, Sarah 0-1 0-0 0; CRAWFORD, Kala 0-0 0-0 0; BOWMAN, Alicia 0-1 0-0 0; WILLIAMS, Emily 0-1 0-0 0; DERBY, Erica 0-0 0-0 0; BAKER, Krista 0-1 0-0 0; MYERS, Alexa 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-62 7-11 41.

ONEONTA STATE (10-1/4-0)
O'CONNELL, Mary Kate 5-7 4-5 14; PUFFER, Erika 3-6 5-6 11; SZKOTAK, Samantha 4-7 0-0 9; PAPPALARDO, Kristin 1-2 4-4 6; BUCCI, Rebecca 2-3 0-1 5; SCHILLING, Grace 0-3 4-4 4; SLAGLE, Madison 1-7 2-2 4; WILVERDING, Kate 1-3 0-0 3; MULLIGAN, Kelly 1-4 0-3 2; SIMPRI, Vania 0-0 0-0 0; CRAWFORD, Alyshia 0-0 0-0 0; RUFER, Lisa 0-1 0-0 0; REGAN, Gabi 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-44 19-25
58.

3-point goals--Buffalo State 4-23 (McELROY, Staci 2-4; RITCH, Kristin 2-8; BAKER, Krista 0-1; KILISZEK, Barb 0-10), Oneonta State 3-9 (WILVERDING, Kate 1-2; SZKOTAK, Samantha 1-2; BUCCI, Rebecca 1-1; SLAGLE, Madison 0-2; RUFER, Lisa 0-1; REGAN, Gabi 0-1).

Fouled out--Buffalo State-None, Oneonta State-None.

Rebounds--Buffalo State 37 (LAYNE, Dee 7; SEBUHARARA, Devine 7), Oneonta State 44 (BUCCI, Rebecca 9).

Assists--Buffalo State 4 (KILISZEK, Barb 4), Oneonta State 9 (BUCCI, Rebecca 2; MULLIGAN, Kelly 2).

Total fouls--Buffalo State 19, Oneonta State 11.

Technical fouls—Buffalo State-None, Oneonta State-None.

A-109