BROCKPORT, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's basketball won on the road against Brockport Saturday afternoon in a low-scoring State University of New York Athletic (SUNYAC) contest, winning 52-44. With the win the Cardinals split the season series after falling to them in their previous conference matchup. Imani Walcott (Albany, N.Y. / Albany) led the way offensively as she posted her sixth double-double of the season and led all scorers in points with 21 to go with her career-high 11 blocks as she was stout on the defensive end. Walcott also grabbed nine rebounds falling one rebound short of a triple-double.
 
Payton Couture (Redford, N.Y. / Saranac) also posted a double-double, her third of the season, as she recorded 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Mya Smith (Wappingers Falls, N.Y. / Roy C. Ketcham) was dishing out dimes as she led the Cardinals with four assists, collected seven rebounds, and scored five points. Selma Deisz (Bekkestua, Norway / Nadderud VGS) was battling on the boards as she came away with five rebounds to pair with her five points and three assists. Julia Greek (Long Island, N.Y. / Ward Melville) and Jaden Wilson (Johnstown, N.Y. / Johnstown) came off the bench to add six and five points respectively.
 
For the Golden Eagles, Stephanie Jean-Baptiste led her team in points with 12. Anna Lee was the next top scorer with 11.
 
Both teams were locked in defensively holding each other to low shooting percentages as the Cardinals shot 29.3% and the Golden Eagles 23.6%. While shooting percentages were low the Cardinals got help from the three-ball making four more than the Golden Eagles at 22.7% making 5 of 22 and the Golden Eagles only shooting 6.3% making 1 of 16. The Golden Eagles outrebounded the Cardinals 51-47, but it was the Cardinals who capitalized off offensive rebounds with 15 second-chance points compared to the Golden Eagles' 12. The Golden Eagles won the turnover battle 15-17 and got 14 points off turnovers compared to the Cardinals 11.
 
Plattsburgh rises to 7-10 overall (4-7 SUNYAC) and heads back to Memorial Hall as they start a three-game homestand with a matchup against Potsdam on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 5:30 pm. Brockport falls to 9-10 overall (5-7 SUNYAC) and are back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 30 as they travel to take on Buffalo State.
 
The first half was a low-scoring affair as both teams were honed in defensively. Deisz got the Cardinals on the board first with a layup followed by a Lee jumper and Walcott layup that made the score 4-2 Cardinals. Smith made a three and added to the Cardinal lead. Brockport took the lead on a Mandy Brink layup momentarily before Walcott made two free throws that made the score 9-8 Cardinals with less than two minutes to play. The quarter ended with free throws from Anna Lee and a Greek three that put the Cardinals up 12-10 after one.
 
The Cardinals opened the second with four straight points before Hannah Zairea ended the run with a layup that made the score 16-12 Cardinals. Brockport scored four straight and tied the game before Walcott made a layup that put the Cardinals back ahead 18-16 with less than seven minutes to play. Brockport tied the game again on a Hannah layup and took the lead on free throws from Zoe Zutes. With a free throw from Couture and two from Walcott, the Cardinals went into halftime up 21-20.
 
The Cardinals started the third on an 8-0 run from the 7:32 mark until the 4:05 mark. Brink ended the run with a layup that made the score 29-22 Cardinals. The Golden Eagles went on an 8-0 run of their own from the 1:13 mark until the end of the quarter and made the score 36-32 Cardinals after three.
 
Zairea started the fourth with a layup and Walcott responded with a layup of her own. Jean-Baptiste made a jumper and cut the Cardinal lead to two but it was Walcott again who responded with a layup that made the score 40-36 with less than seven minutes to play. With less than three minutes to play, Zutes made an and-one layup that cut the Cardinal lead to two before Walcott responded with an and-one layup of her own that made the score 45-41 Cardinals. After a three by Lee, the Cardinal lead was two but Couture responded with a clutch three that put the game away for good as the Cardinals held on to win 52-44.