KEUKA PARK, N.Y. — The 2023-24 Women's Basketball season opened on Wednesday night but the Wolves fell to SUNY Morrisville 71-64 at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center.  

Sydney Brown (Lowville, N.Y. / Lowville Academy) and Janea Hamilton-Brown (Liverpool, N.Y. / Liverpool) each had 16 points for Keuka College (0-1). Mary Cotter (Hershey, Pa. / Hershey) posted 15 points with three made threes.

SUNY Morrisville 71 at Keuka College 64

The Wolves got out to a fast start over the Mustangs, taking an early 8-2 lead. Keuka College would push the game back out to six during the quarter, but never lead by more. Sydney Brown knocked down threes on two of the times it got close. A 5-0 run for Morrisville narrowed the gap and the Mustangs took an 18-17 lead with a minute left and retained it for the rest of the quarter.

Keuka quickly regained the lead in the second quarter as Mary Cotter hit a three on the opening possession. The lead was brief as the Mustangs regained the advantage. Keuka scored six straight to tie and then take a two-point lead, but Morrisville answered right back with a three to regain the lead. Cotter made a late jumper for the Wolves, but Morrisville led 31-29 at the half.

After baskets for both teams to start the second half, Mary Cotter hit another three for the Wolves to give Keuka College a 34-33 lead. Morrisville used a 7-0 run to build a six-point lead over the Wolves, but Keuka answered right back with a seven straight of their own. A follow-up layup by Janea Hamilton-Brown capped the run with Keuka leading 41-40 with three minutes left in the third. The Mustangs closed strong against the Wolves to regain the lead and hold a 49-44 advantage going into the final quarter.

Off the opening possession, Sydney Brown knocked down a jumper to make it a three-point game, but that would be as close as the Wolves would make it in the fourth. Morrisville would push their lead out to ten during the frame. Keuka drew it back to four with 1:12 left to play. The Wolves got a stop, but an offensive rebound allowed Morrisville to retain possession and force Keuka to foul. The Mustangs missed a pair of free throws, but the Wolves missed a layup with 15 seconds left that would have made it a one-possession game. Morrisville added free throws in the final seconds to defeat the Wolves 71-64.

KC Notes:

• Keuka College is now 15-11 all-time against SUNY Morrisville, but the Mustangs have won the last four matchups
• The Wolves are 5-5 in their last 10 home openers
• Katie Deatherage (Canandaigua, N.Y. / Marcus Whitman) led the Wolves with seven rebounds, setting a new career high. Five of her rebounds game on the offensive glass
• First-year student-athlete Meghan Ellis (Cobleskill, N.Y. / Cobleskill-Richmondville) had eight points and six rebounds in her debut
• Caiden Crego (Lyons, N.Y. / Lyons) had four steals to set a new career high

Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves are back in action in three days as Keuka College hosts Pitt.-Bradford at 2 p.m. at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center on Saturday.