POTSDAM, N.Y.—Clarkson University (3-1) rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat the SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (2-3) 73-57 at Clarkson Tuesday night. Leighann Tomita led the Golden Knights with a game-high 21 points. Junior guard Katy Briedis paced Potsdam with 16 points.

Briedis opened the scoring with a jumper 51 seconds into the contest. Sophomore forward Jessica Kouzan followed the bucket with a three-point play. Bears sophomore guard Hannah Kmiecinski kept up the hot shooting with a three-pointer and freshman guard Bailey Weigel capped a 10-0 run with a layup. The teams traded baskets for the rest of the half, with Clarkson never getting closer than six and Potsdam leading by as many as 13. The Golden Knights closed the half with four straight points and cut the Bears' lead to 39-30. Potsdam shot 44 percent from the floor and got nine points from Briedis and eight from Kouzan in the first 20 minutes.

The Golden Knights battled back in the second half, chipping away at the Bears' lead. Clarkson used a 17-1 run spanning five minutes to grab a 60-51 lead with 3:18 remaining. Potsdam was unable to curb the Golden Knights' momentum as Clarkson went on to the 73-57 victory.

Kouzan finished with 10 points and three rebounds for the Bears. Clarkson's Carey Turner had 13 and Chrissy Scanlon had a double-double with 11 points and 11 boards. 

Bears Head Coach Tara Ruckh was pleased with the start to the contest, but said her team was outperformed in the second half.

"We came out aggressive and were following through on the game plan, but we got into some foul trouble," Ruckh said. "We didn't play well in the second half. Give credit to Clarkson for coming back. We have to play two halves and we didn't tonight."

Potsdam opens SUNYAC play Dec. 2-3. The Bears face Oswego State on Friday at 6 p.m. and SUNY Cortland at 2 p.m. on Saturday.