POTSDAM, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's basketball played a tight contest against State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) foe Potsdam but fell 61-53 on the road. The Cards held a one-point lead at halftime but shot just 20% in the second half as the Bears took the conference opener. 
 
Four different players scored nine points for Plattsburgh to lead the way scoring-wise, while senior forward Hannah Ruberto (Long Island, N.Y./Sachem East) posted eight points and career-high 13 rebounds despite just 24 minutes and fouling out. For Potsdam, Jakia Howard was the game-high scorer with 14 points and Jenna Cotter had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds off the bench.
 
Neither team really excelled offensively in the overall box score, as the Cards shot just 29.2% from the field over 60 minutes and Potsdam shot 37.5%. Both teams struggled from deep and at the line, with Plattsburgh shooting 20.8% from deep and 50% from the line, while Potsdam was just 25% from three and 51.7% from the line on 29 attempts. 
 
Plattsburgh falls to 3-3 with the loss and will travel to Oneonta on Friday, Dec. 2 for their next game. Potsdam rises to 2-2 with the win and will travel to New Paltz on Friday, Dec. 2 for their next contest. 
 
Heading into the fourth quarter, neither team had led by more than six points, as the contest remained extremely close throughout the first 45 minutes of action. The first quarter saw some hot shooting from Potsdam as they were 7-11 from the floor, but the Cards kept it tight, trailing by just four points heading into the second quarter. A 16-11 second quarter, powered by a 15-6 run, allowed Plattsburgh to take a one-point halftime lead, as first-year Jaden Wilson (Johnstown, N.Y./Johnstown) had seven of the team's 16 second-period points. 
 
The third quarter was a one-possession affair for almost its entirety, as neither team could get breathing room to build a lead. Plattsburgh was just 5-21 from the field in the period and Potsdam only attempted 12 shots, as they struggled to take care of the basketball. Overall, the Bears had 21 turnovers to Plattsburgh's 16, but neither team could make the other pay for their mistakes with Potsdam winning the points-off-turnovers battle 11-10.
 
Heading into the fourth, the Bears rattled off an 8-0 run over the first four-plus minutes, as Plattsburgh failed to score to begin the period. The scoring drought was the push the Bears needed as they built a 53-43 lead with 5:49 to go in the period. From then on, the Cards couldn't get closer than five points, as Potsdam had a response for every Plattsburgh counter, winning the game 61-53. 
 
The Cardinals will get another chance to play the Bears, at home, when Potsdam travels to Plattsburgh on Jan. 7, to start the new year's conference schedule.