KEUKA PARK, N.Y. — The Keuka College Women's Basketball team earned their first Empire 8 Conference victory in program history, defeating Houghton University 54-51 at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center on Friday night.  

Meg McGwin (Rochester, N.Y. / Hilton) led Keuka College (4-20, 1-16 Empire 8) with a career-high 19 points. Killian Mahoney (Canandaigua, N.Y. / Canandaigua Academy) posted her second career double-double with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Freshman Mary Cotter (Hershey, Pa. / Hershey) was also in double figures with 10 points.

Keuka College 54 vs. Houghton University 51

The Wolves won the tip and Lauren Hill (Cobleskill, N.Y. / Cobleskill-Richmondville) found Sydney Brown (Lowville, N.Y. / Lowville Academy) for an opening three-pointer. That started a 12-0 run for the Green and Gold with Mary Cotter hitting a three and Meg McGwin contributing six points in the run as the Wolves kept the Highlanders off the board for the first four minutes. Houghton responded with seven unanswered, but the Wolves would lead after the first quarter 16-8.

Houghton scored the first three of the second, but the Wolves answered with seven of their own to build a 23-11 advantage. Houghton cut the margin back to single-digits but Lauren Hill hit a deep jumper to reestablish the ten-point lead. The Highlanders worked it back to single-digits, but Keuka led 30-21 at the half.

The Wolves continued to push in the second half. A three by Gianna Padula (Kenmore, N.Y. / Cardinal O'Hara) gave Keuka a 37-23 lead. Mary Cotter later pushed the advantage to 16 with a quick-fire three with two minutes left in the quarter. The Wolves outscored the Highlanders 14-10 in the frame and carried a 44-31 lead into the final quarter.

Two threes by Houghton over the first three minutes of the fourth quickly cut into the Keuka lead. A pair of free throws by McGwin pushed the score back to 46-37. Houghton continued to cut into the Keuka lead in the final minutes. A three by Sydney Brown gave the Wolves a 51-43 edge with 1:28 left to play, but the Highlanders scored the next five to make it a one-possession game, 51-43 with 51 seconds remaining. Houghton had a chance to cut it to one, but Lauren Hill came up with a big block and Meg McGwin grabbed the rebound. On the ensuing possession, the Wolves would be fouled and go 1-2 from the line. With three seconds left, Houghton made a three to make it 52-51 in favor of the Wolves. Killian Mahoney was fouled with two seconds left. The senior made both shots and a last-second three from Houghton was off as the Wolves defeated the Highlanders 54-51.

KC Notes:

• The win was the first in the Empire 8 Conference for the Wolves since joining in 2020
• The Wolves snapped a three-game losing streak to Houghton and improve to 12-8 all-time against the Highlanders. 7-3 when played at Keuka College. It was Keuka's first win against Houghton since the 1994-95 season
• Killian Mahoney became just the seventh Keuka College Women's Basketball player to amass 100 three-pointers in a career
• Sydney Brown scored eight for the Wolves, including a pair of threes. She moves to eighth on the career threes list at Keuka
• The Wolves took the lead in the first 15 seconds and led the rest of the game. Their opening 12-0 run was also the longest run of the game for either team
• Head Coach Gary Broadhurst collected his 55th career win, taking sole possession of fourth on the career wins list at Keuka College

Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves look to close the season on a winning streak. Keuka College faces Medaille University tomorrow at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center in their season finale. Prior to the game will be the annual senior day celebration. Tipoff between the Wolves and Mavericks is set for 2 p.m. with senior day happening before the game.