BUFFALO, N.Y.— The Buffalo State women's basketball team halted a 14-game losing streak to New Paltz Sunday afternoon, as the Bengal bench unit came through with 36 points in a 64-61 victory, in SUNYAC action from the Sports Arena.
 
GAME BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State –64, New Paltz – 61
LOCATION:  Buffalo State Sports Arena – Buffalo, N.Y.
RECORDS:  Buffalo State (11-8, 8-5 SUNYAC), New Paltz (13-6, 9-4)


INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Tashawni Cornfield (Gowanda, N.Y./Putham) led all scorers with 17 points off the bench, adding four steals on the defensive end.
• Katie Villarini (Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg) added 16 points, bringing down seven rebounds and four assists.
• Taylor James (Buffalo, N.Y./Frederik Law Olmstead) was big for the Bengals off the bench, adding 12 points and eight rebounds, both season highs.
• The Bengals shot 37.9 percent (22-of-58) from the field and made 19-of-23 shots from the free throw line.
• The Bengals also snap a 14-game losing streak to the Hawks with the victory and avenge a 60-35 loss to the Hawks on Jan. 13.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• New Paltz utilized suffocating 'D' to jump out to a 10-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game.
• The Bengals woke up offensively, flipping the script with a 13-0 run over a 4:21 stretch, as a Jadyn Jones (Gowanda, N.Y./Lake Shore) layup gave the Bengals a 15-10 advantage.
• Julia Sabatino stopped the Bengal run with a 3-pointer, as the Hawks trailed, 15-13 after one.
• Down three at the midway point of the second quarter, Lexi Van Vorst tied the game with a 3-pointer, and Cassidy Deaver took advantage of a Buffalo State turnover with a jumper to take a 24-22 lead.
• Down five in the last 45 seconds, Riley Domin (Getzville, N.Y./Williamsville South) hit a 3-pointer, and Cornfield went coast-to-coast on a steal and layup, tying the game at 31 at the half.
• The Bengals forged ahead in the third quarter with an 8-0 run, taking a 39-33 lead.
• The lead changed hands a few times in the third, but five straight points by the Hawks, including a Jenny Walton three, gave New Paltz a 48-45 lead heading into the fourth.
• James put the Bengals on her back to begin the fourth, scoring six straight points, including a nifty reverse layup, as the hosts went on a 10-2 run to take a 55-50 lead.
• After a pair of New Paltz free throws, the Bengals went on another run, as Cornfield took over with seven straight points as Buffalo State led by 10 (62-52) with 3:16 to go.
• New Paltz clawed its way back into the game with seven consecutive points to bring Buffalo State's lead down to just three (62-59) with 38 seconds to go.
• The Hawks could get no closer, as Adiya Jones (Washington, D.C./McKinley) put the game out of reach with a pair of free throws after rebounding a missed Van Vorst 3-pointer with seven seconds left.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Brianna Fitzgerald led the Hawks with 14 points, but shot 5-of-14 from the field.
• Van Vorst added 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting from the field.
• The Hawks shot 30.9 percent (21-of-68) from the field and made just 12-of-20 shots from the free throw line.

 
UP NEXT
The Bengals will make up a previously postponed contest on Tuesday, as Oswego State comes to town in a 5:30 p.m. start.