CANTON, N.Y. – Senior guard Jax Miller (Argyle, N.Y./Argyle) hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 38 seconds remaining, leading the Plattsburgh State women's basketball team to a 56-50 victory over non-conference St. Lawrence University on Tuesday night at Burkman Gym.
 
After freshman forward Taylor Clare (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) tied the score at 38-all with 8:52 left in regulation, St. Lawrence went on an 8-0 run, and a 3-pointer by senior forward Caroline Dalton handed the Saints a 46-38 advantage. The two teams traded points until Clare made four free throws across two possessions to make it a four-point game. Sophomore guard Bella DePasquale (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley) drained a 3-pointer with 1:09 remaining in the fourth quarter, and following a 30-second Plattsburgh State timeout, the Cardinals forced a Saint turnover.
 
That set the stage for Miller's heroics, as she converted on a 3-point attempt with just 38 seconds left to hand Plattsburgh State a 50-48 edge, its first lead of the fourth quarter. The Saints missed a layup with 19 seconds left, which then forced them to foul the rest of the contest. Senior guard Moe Jones (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) went 4-of-4 from the line before Miller spelled the final score with a pair of made free throws with just two seconds left in regulation.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 3-1 overall with the win and opens up State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play on Friday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Buffalo State. St. Lawrence drops to 0-3 overall with the loss and next takes on Tufts University in a neutral-site game at Williams College on Friday, Dec. 2, at 8 p.m.
 
The Cardinals were hot out of the gates, jumping out to a 5-0 lead to start the contest. The two teams battled back and forth until St. Lawrence went on a 5-0 tear to take a 12-11 advantage, and a layup by freshman forward Katie Gallagher with 1:53 left in the first quarter gave the Saints a 14-11 edge after 10 minutes of play. Plattsburgh State was unable to take back the lead in the second stanza, as the Saints led by as many as six to take a 23-20 advantage into the locker rooms.
 
Plattsburgh State went on a 6-2 spurt to begin the second half, and a layup by freshman forward Frannie Merkel (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) midway through the third quarter handed the visitors a 26-25 advantage. A modest 5-0 Saint tear put St. Lawrence back on top, and the home team rode the momentum to a 38-35 lead heading into the final period.
 
Clare scored on the first possession of the fourth quarter to draw the Cardinals within one, and she later hit a free throw to tie the game at 38-all. That set the scene for the dramatic finish, which saw Plattsburgh State tally a win in its first road game of the season.
 
Both teams shot 25 percent from the floor, with the Cardinals going 17-of-68 and the Saints going 18-of-72. Plattsburgh State knocked down 18-of-27 attempts at the free-throw line to shoot 66.7 percent for the game, while the Cardinals held a 60-52 edge in rebounds.
 
Jones led the Cardinals with a career-high 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal. Clare netted a career-high 14 points and added four blocks in 15 minutes coming off the bench, which included an 8-of-12 mark from the line. Merkel notched a double-double with 12 points and a career-high 16 rebounds while adding four blocks.
 
For St. Lawrence, Dalton nearly posted a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore guard Sarah Thomas registered nine points coming off the bench.