Portia Velasco scored a game-high 26 points as the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team closed out its regular season with a 71-59 win against Alfred University Saturday afternoon.

With the win, Fisher moves to 16-9 and 8-6 in conference play, while the Saxons drop to 6-17 overall and 1-11 in the Empire 8 standings.

After holding a three-point advantage, 33-30 at the start of the second stanza, Fisher began to control the game's pace.  After exchanging points in the half's opening minutes, the Cardinals took a nine-point lead after a 9-2 run that was bookended by three-point plays as Camaryn Buckner converted the old-fashioned variety, while Mary Kate Cusack drained one of her game-high three from beyond the arc.

Fisher continued its high-pace style of play, scoring six unanswered points capped by a Cusack jumper at 8:55 to give Fisher its largest lead of the game, 54-38, forcing the Saxons to call a timeout to regroup.

The break in action seemed to buoy the spirits of Alfred leading to a quick 8-0 run highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers that cut Fisher's advantage to eight points, but the visiting Cardinals would regain their momentum with a 9-2 run of their own to push the lead back to 15 points.

Alfred would come to within 10 points, but the Cardinals iced their free-throws, going 4-for-6 down the stretch to seal the win.

Velasco led all scorers with 26 on an efficient 8-for-14 from the floor.  The junior also had four steals and three helpers.  Cusack finished with 19 points, while Buckner scored eight points in the final regular season game of her career.  Claire Walsh had seven points and was perfect from the line, going 4-for-4.

Fisher's defense was also impressive as it forced 19 turnovers and held the Saxons to 33% shooting for the game.

The Cardinals entered today's contest holding the fifth spot in the Empire 8 standings.  Fisher will have to await its postseason fate, as several conference opponents will finish their seasons in the coming days.