PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Senior forward Alex McCullough (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central), senior guard Kahsyrah Bryant (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) and freshman forward Michelle Valle (New York, N.Y./Manhattan Center for Science/Mathematics) each recorded double-doubles to lead the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team (13-0, 7-0 SUNYAC) to a 75-71 overtime victory over SUNY Plattsburgh (8-6, 4-3 SUNYAC) in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) battle on Friday at Memorial Hall.
 
McCullough tallied game-highs with 18 points and 14 rebounds in the win. She also blocked a career-high seven shots. Bryant and Valle each picked up 13 points, pulling down 12 and 11 boards, respectively. This marks the second double-double of the season for McCullough, and the third for both Bryant and Valle, who both picked up double-doubles in the same game in the Hawks' Dec. 4 victory over the Stevens Institute of Technology.
 
The Hawks rallied back from an 11-point deficit in the second half to eventually force overtime. They trailed 42-31 after a Dana Lucaro layup before the comeback ensued. Senior guard Maliqua Fisher (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) sunk a layup after a pair of free throws by Bryant to cut the Cardinal lead to seven, but it went right back to nine after Misha Green was successful on two shots from the charity stripe. Freshman guard Christine Rivera(Long Beach, N.Y./Valley Stream) drained the first three-pointer of her career to bring the Hawks within six, but Green made another two free throws to take an eight-point lead.
 
McCullough made a foul shot after nailing a jumper to complete a three-point play, then junior forward Jeanette Scott (West Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) made a layup to bring the Hawks within three. The Cardinals brought the lead back to six before junior guard Alyssa Gratien (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) scored five-straight points to cut the deficit to one. The difference was three once again before Valle made a pair of free throws and Bryant made one to tie the game for the first time.
 
The Hawks took their first lead of the second stanza with two more Valle free throws before Bryant scored three more points on a layup and a continuation foul shot to give the Hawks a five-point advantage. Lucaro gave the Cardinals the lead once again at the 5:02 mark after a pair of free throws, but Bryant made one of her own on the ensuing trip down the court to tie it up at 59 apiece. Valle made a layup, McCullough drained a jumper and then Valle made another pair of foul shots to give the Hawks their biggest lead of the night at six points.
 
With the Hawk lead at just two points with 11 seconds remaining, Green was standing at the free-throw line with a chance to tie the game. Fortunately for the Hawks, she was only able to connect on her first attempt, leaving New Paltz with a one-point edge. However, Valle picked up a foul trying to grab the rebound after the second attempt, which put Lucaro at the line with a chance to take the lead. She missed the first and sank the second to tie the game, giving the Hawks one final possession before the buzzer. Fisher drove to the hoop and put up a layup before the horn sounded, but it was unable to find the bottom of the net, pushing the game into an extra period.
 
McCullough made the first basket of the overtime period to give the Hawks a 67-65 lead before Kathleen Payne tied the game with a pair of free throws. McCullough followed with a three pointer to give the Hawks a lead they would not lose for the remainder of overtime. After this point, no more field goals were made in the game. Plattsburgh cut the lead to one two separate times after pairs of free throws, only for the Hawks to answer with free throws of their own. After freshman guard Shannan Walker (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) made one of two free throws, Brittany Marshall attempted a three that would have given the Cardinals a lead with just five ticks to go. Her shot hit the rim and was corralled by McCullough, who was fouled with the clock reading 0.4 seconds. She made both attempts before the final buzzer sounded, allowing the Hawks to celebrate their victory.
 
Gratien and Fisher finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively, giving the Hawks five scorers with double-digit point totals in the win.
 
Marshall led the Cardinals with 16 points in the loss, while Lucaro picked up a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Plattsburgh also had five scorers pick up double-digit totals, as Tequilla Lloyd, Payne and Green scored 11, 11 and 10, respectively.
 
The Hawks shot 32.9 percent from the field on 24-of-73 shooting, which was bested by Plattsburgh on 24-of-71 shooting (33.8 percent). Neither team was outstanding from long distance, as the Hawks shot 21.7 percent (5-for-23) while the Cardinals shot 23.1 percent (3-for-13) from three-point range. New Paltz had one of its better nights at the free-throw line, making 22-of-31 attempts (71 percent), while Plattsburgh shot 69 percent (20-of-29).
 
The Hawks look to keep their perfect season alive tomorrow, Jan. 19, with SUNYAC contest at SUNY Potsdam. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.