SUNY Plattsburgh Men Season Closes in 2nd Round of N.C.A.A.

SUNY Plattsburgh’s John Perez (14) attempts to box out SUNY  Potsdam’s Tariq McIntyre (33) for a rebound in Tuesday's game.  Plattsburgh surged on an 18-2 run in the second half for an 85-63 victory.  (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery
 

Mar. 9: It’s a foregone conclusion that all good things must come to an end, and the remarkable turnaround season of the Plattsburgh State men’s basketball team, unfortunately, was no exception to that axiom.   The Cardinals (20-9) ran into one of the best teams in the nation in No. 2-ranked Amherst, and the Lord Jeffs defeated Plattsburgh State 89-72 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament at LeFrak Gymnasium on Saturday evening.   Amherst simply shot the lights out, going 32-of-65 (49.2 percent) from the field including a blistering 13-of-26 (50 percent) clip from downtown to earn the victory. Plattsburgh State, meanwhile, was just 26-of-66 (39.4 percent) in the field goal percentage department.   “We ran into a team that was better than us today was what it amounted to,” said Plattsburgh State head coach Tom Curle. “Amherst has been to the tournament before and they were ready for it. This was the first time for everyone on our roster, and now they see the level of preparation they have to go through to play at that level.”   Although they hadn’t taken to the court in any game-related scenario since February 24, the Lord Jeffs were intent on putting on a show in front of their home crowd from the opening tip.   Allen Williamson threw down a powerful two-handed slam dunk to open the scoring and Aaron Toomey sunk a wide-open trey in transition before the Cardinals responded with a long-range assault of their own.   Back-to-back long balls from Ezra Hodgson and Jordan Moody gave Plattsburgh State its first lead of the tilt, 6-5, with 17:03 to go in the initial stanza.   After trading points over the course of the following pair of possessions, the Lord Jeffs began the process of turning a close game into a runaway.   Amherst caught fire from every location on the floor, and used a 37-10 run to take a 44-18 lead with 5:01 to go in the first half.   Instead of succumbing to the sizable run by the Lord Jeffs, the Cardinals regrouped and worked their way back into things through the remainder of the stanza.   Taking advantage of some sloppy play by Amerst in the late stages of the 20-minute period, Moody joined forces with junior Shavar Fields to slice into the sizable Plattsburgh State deficit.   Moody banked in a pair of acrobatic layups that finally shrunk the Amherst below 20, before Fields continued his pattern of going to work down on the block.   A three-point play from the Albany, N.Y., product helped the Cardinals stockpile even more momentum before Kalik Parker connected on his only field goal of the half – a three-pointer at the buzzer that made matters 50-37 Amherst heading to the halftime break.   Amherst was nothing short of relentless in the opening frame, connecting on 55.9 percent of their field goals including seven of their 15 attempts from long range. Plattsburgh State, though, stayed in it by virtue of seven Amherst turnovers and nine points each from Fields and Moody.   Hodgson took it upon himself to make things even more manageable for the Cardinals in the opening minutes of the deciding half, swishing a trey to make it a 10-point game, 50-40, with 18:26 remaining.   Yet another long ball from Hodgson kept Plattsburgh State within 10, 57-47, with 15:17 remaining in regulation, before the Lord Jeffs applied one final thrust to effectively put the game away. Bombarding the Cardinals with a merciless three-point barrage, the Lord Jeffs embarked on a 15-2 over a span of 3:57 that included a pair of trifectas from Toomey to push the Amherst lead back to 23, 72-49, with 11:20 to go.   Plattsburgh State fought valiantly to come back, as Edward Correa and Reggie Williams registered the next 14 points for the Cardinals. Williams drilled a short jumper to cut the Amherst lead to 14, 79-65, with 4:29 remaining.   David Kalema, though, put a charge into the Amherst congregation while demoralizing the Cardinals at the same time with a high-flying dunk on the very next possession that allowed the Lord Jeffs to begin building their lead back up to 20 points.   Maintaining their balanced attack to the bitter end, five Plattsburgh State players wound up in double figures led by Hodgson who netted 14 on 5-of-13 shooting.   Fields and Correa each scored 13 markers with the latter hitting three of his six attempts from beyond the arc. Moody finished with 11 while Williams added 10.   Toomey, the NESCAC Player of the Year, finished with a game-high 25 points while Williamson added 16 of his own. Kalema chipped in 15 and Willy Workman rounded out the primary Amherst scoring squadron with 11.   Although the Cardinals wrapped up their 2012-13 campaign on a sour note, what they accomplished can’t be underscored. After going 8-18 one season ago, the Cardinals turned everything around, finishing 20-9 with a squad devoid of any seniors.   Armed with virtually the same roster heading into next season, the future appears exceptionally bright for the Cardinals.

Mar. 2: Going in to their first-round NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament game, Husson University thought it had a pretty good game plan to try and slow down an exceptionally quick Plattsburgh State squad. The Cardinals, however, quickly taught the Eagles that there is a big difference between theory and application. Six Plattsburgh State players recorded at least 10 points and the Cardinals ran wild in an 84-63 evisceration of Husson at Memorial Hall on Saturday night. In the victory, the Cardinals limited the Eagles to a 21-of-57 (36.8 percent) performance from the floor while forcing 18 turnovers.  The Cardinals upped their overall mark to 20-8 – that includes a 12-1 record in Memorial Hall - thanks to a 55.2 percent (32-of-58) shooting performance. Plattsburgh State also sizzled from downtown throughout the entirety of the contest, swishing nine of their 19 attempts (47.4 percent) from that distance. “Until you play against us, it’s tough for opposing teams to really see how quick we really are,” said Plattsburgh State head coach Tom Curle who led Plattsburgh State to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2009-10 season. “In the first half, I just think we got up and down the floor a lot quicker than they were expecting us to and their lack of defensive transition really hurt them.” The Eagles nabbed one of their two leads in the ball game when Brooks Spaulding netted the first points of the game with a mid-range jumper before Ezra Hodgson responded with a deep triple that helped the sizable Plattsburgh State congregation to its feet. After Wes Murphy hit a tough driving layup to put the Eagles up 4-3, the Cardinals took the lead for good when Jordan Moody banked in a layup that made matters 5-4 with 16:15 to go in the first half. Reggie Williams followed up with a powerful two-handed slam dunk on the next Plattsburgh State possession to put a charge into the pro-Cardinal crowd. Plattsburgh State saw its lead bulge to as many as nine in the first half of the initial 20-minute period when Chris Manning knifed through the lead-footed Husson defense for an easy layup that made it 17-8 Plattsburgh with 12:08 remaining in the frame. The only thing that really slowed down the Cardinals were the numerous fouls that were piling up on them in the first stanza. After Hodgson was whistled for his second personal, Curle summoned Alan Siergiej from the bench whereupon the sophomore took it right to Husson’s imposing interior star Marc Zaharchuk. Siergiej put in the next four points for the Cardinals with a series of nifty post moves that made it 29-17 Cardinals with 6:55 remaining in the frame. Five free throw makes by the Eagles pulled them to within 29-22 as 5:16 showed on the scoreboard, but the Cardinals came up with a backbreaking response. Shamoy McIntosh knocked down a wide-open trey before Kalik Parker followed up with a downtown make of his own as part of a 10-0 Plattsburgh State surge to conclude the first half. Up by 16 heading into the second half, Plattsburgh State only had to fend off one more charge the Eagles for the rest of the game. Jacob Moore nailed a three-pointer that made matters 46-37 with 15:27 to go in the game, but another two-handed slam from Williams kicked off a 6-0 Plattsburgh State spurt and the Cardinals never let their lead sink below 10 for the remainder of the game. Hodgson led the way for Plattsburgh State with a game-high 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Moody added 13 for the Cardinals who secured their fourth 20-win season in program history – all under Curle’s watch. Manning and McIntosh netted 11 each while Parker and Williams chipped in 10 apiece. Eric Modica scored a team-high 13 for Husson which saw its season come to an end with a 20-9 mark. Zaharchuk added 12 and a game-high seven rebounds. Husson was 17-of-26 from the free throw stripe through the course of the tilt.   With nearly one-half of the 62-team field eliminated, the Cardinals find themselves among 32 men’s basketball teams still standing in Division III. That number will be carved in half once again next weekend when Plattsburgh State travels to Amherst to face off against the No. 2-ranked Lord Jeffs. “We understand that Amherst is imposing, but we won’t back away and we won’t be in awe of them. We’re going to play that game that we always play,” Curle added. “No game has ever been won on paper, so we’re going to step up and we’re going to compete next weekend.”

SUNY Canton’s Scott Bartenstein (33) from Potsdam N.Y. fires up a three-pointer over a St. Joseph’s guard. Bartenstein pitched the best game of his college career, racking up 27 points while hitting 11-for-14 from the floor, including 5-of-7 three-pointers, as the Roos pulled away from a 41-35 halftime lead to win 81-62.  (Camron Waters photo)  Game Gallery  

SUNY Canton’s Scott Dixon (21) blocks a shot from St. Joseph’s post player during the Saturday game at Roos House.

Feb. 16: The SUNY Canton men’s basketball team rallied for a 61-52 victory over the University of Maine at Fort Kent, sending senior Ryan Lamica (Constable, N.Y.) out on a high note Saturday afternoon. Prior to the start of the game, Lamica, who played the past two years for SUNY Canton after transferring from North Country Community College, was honored and recognized along with his parents.  The Franklin Academy graduate scored nine points, made six steals, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out five assists in his final intercollegiate game.  Lamica, a career 74 percent free throw shooter, fittingly sank two free throws with 41 seconds left for the Roos final points. SUNY Canton, who end the season 9-14, looked to be in control for most of the first half as they opened the contest on a 12-2 run over the first five minutes.  The lead remained at 10 points, 17-7, with 11:56 on the clock, before the Bengals closed on a 23-10 run to lead 30-27 at halftime.  The Roos came out ice cold to start the second half missing their first 10 shots from the field as the Bengals scored eight straight to extend their lead to 38-27.  Junior Khalid Vaughn (New York, N.Y.) converted a driving layup with 15:12 remaining that finally broke the Roos drought. The Roos kept slashing away at Fort Kent’s lead, and sophomore Scott Bartenstein (Potsdam, N.Y.) fed Vaughn for a jumper in the paint that trimmed the advantage to 42-38 with just over 11 minutes left.  The Roos outscored the Bengals 9-6 over the next three minutes, and a steal and basket from sophomore Tyler Ellison (New York, N.Y.) made it a one-point contest with 7:31 to go.  Sean Doman answered with a basket for Fort Kent on their next possession, and then junior Scott Dixon (Brooklyn, N.Y.) drilled a 3-pointer from the wing to tie the game 50-50.  Doman then misfired from beyond the arc and  Vaughn scored on the other end for the Roos, giving them their first lead since late in the first half. It was all SUNY Canton from there on out as Bartenstein scored on a layup and then drilled a triple from the left corner extending the home team’s lead to 57-50.  Doman worked his way into the paint to get the lead down to five points, but Vaughn and Lamica each went 2-for-2 from the line in the final minute of play to sweep the season series with the Bengals. Vaughn led the team with 17 points and seven rebounds.  Bartenstein added 12 points and nine boards.  Dixon finished with three threes and nine points and seven rebounds.  Ellison totaled eight points and six rebounds, and sophomore Xzavier Fisher (Plymouth, Pa.) added six points and eight rebounds. Jeremy Bishop dropped in 16 points for Fort Kent (2-26), and Yoshives Belizaire added 11 points and two assists. At halftime of the men’s game, Nancy Rowledge, former president of the SUNY Canton booster club, was honored for her many years of dedication and commitment to the club and the athletic department.

Feb. 13: Junior Khalid Vaughn (New York, N.Y.) led three players in double figures with 22 points guiding the SUNY Canton men's basketball team to an 85-72 win over Paul Smith's College Wednesday night.   The Roos won their third straight game and beat the Bobcats for the second time this season as they improved to 8-13 overall.   Sophomore Tyler Ellison (New York, N.Y.) dropped in a season-high 21 points and sophomore Scott Bartenstein (Potsdam, N.Y.) added 17 points.    SUNY Canton led at the half 38-31, and will conclude their season this Saturday hosting the University of Maine at Fort Kent at 2 p.m. 

Utica’s Jeff Ward (31) shows aggressiveness on defense against the Roos’ Tyler Ellison (5) as he swats away the attempted shot. Despite a strong second half, Canton lost their home opener to Utica College 89-66. The Roos outscored Utica 38-36 over the final 20 minutes, but couldn’t overcome a 53-28 halftime deficit.  (Casey Stephens photo)  Game Gallery

Canton’s Khalid Vaughn (12) tries to make a late run to bring his team back and finds himself surrounded by multiple Utica defenders but still manages to get the shot up.  Despite a strong second half the SUNY Canton men’s basketball team lost in their home opener to Utica College 89-66 at Roos House.  

Clarkson’s Marques Charlton (15) swipes the ball away from St. Lawrence University’s Brady Condlin (24) from Massena, NY. Clarkson gained a measure of revenge in a 69-64 victory over St. Lawrence on Tuesday night at Burkman Gymnasium. The Golden Knights and Saints are now tied at 5-4 in the Liberty League.   (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Feb. 16: For the second straight year the Clarkson University Men's Basketball team won its final game of the season and finished with a winning record in the Liberty League, but the Golden Knights came up a game short of the conference playoffs despite their 77-63 victory over RIT on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Knights ended the campaign with a record of 9-7 in the Liberty League and 17-8 overall for a .680 winning percentage, the highest mark for the program since the 1947-48 season (11-5 overall for .6875). The Tigers ended the year at 9-16 and 5-11. Clarkson was eliminated from playoff contention when Skidmore and Rensselaer both won games on Friday night. Under the new tie-breaking procedures set for 2012-13, the Knights lost the tie-breaker to the Thoroughbreds. Saturday's game was one of streaks for both squads. RIT started off hot with an 8-2 lead, but within two minutes, an 8-0 run by the Knights gave the visitors a two-point advantage. Clarkson wasn't done with making runs in the first half, edging out by double digits on a 15-3 streak over the course of five minutes that saw John Coleman (Potsdam, NY) score 10 points on his own. However, the final basket of the streak at 3:23 was the last time that Clarkson would score, and the Tigers finished the half with a 12-0 run to take a two-point lead into the locker room. The second half was steadier as RIT had numerous four-point advantages in the early going as the teams traded baskets. However, midway through the half Clarkson would use one final run to swing the momentum one final time in its favor. Clarkson scored 14 consecutive points in just over three minutes to turn a two-point deficit into a 12-point lead, and the though the Tigers would edge back into the game slightly, the Knights held a three-possession advantage for the remainder of the contest. Both teams shot above 50 percent from the field, so the difference in the contest turned to the minute details as the Knights turned the ball over just 11 times compared to the Tigers' 17, and Clarkson also committed only nine fouls in the entire game while RIT had 14 foul infractions. The difference was found on the free throw line as the Knights were a flawless 14-for-14 in the game. John Coleman led all scorers with 24 points, shooting 10-for-15 from the field. Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY) added in 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting in his final collegiate game and Charles McAllister (Olathe, KS) added in 10 point son 4-for-7 shooting from off the bench. Freshman Felix Abongo(Beacon, NY) continued his strong week with 16 points and six assists for the Knights. For the Tigers, four finished in double-figures, led by Eric Travis with 16 points on 8-for-15 shooting. Jameel Balenton tossed in 13 points, missing only one of his five attempts from the field, while Nick Dobson and Mike D'Amico each scored 10 points.

Feb. 15: As the only team to beat Hobart College in Liberty League play all season long, another win by the Clarkson University Men’s Basketball team would have gone a long way in moving towards a playoff spot, but the Golden Knights couldn’t finish off the season sweep, falling to the Statesmen 74-66 Friday night. The Golden Knights fell to 16-8 overall and 8-7 in Liberty League action, while Hobart moved to  18-6 overall and 14-1 in conference games. Clarkson closes out the regular season against RIT on Saturday. Clarkson quickly jumped out to a five-point lead, but Hobart quickly recovered and the Statesmen built a nine-point lead late in the half. With less than three minutes to go, the Knights hit a pair of 3-pointers from Felix Abongo (Beacon, NY) and John Coleman (Potsdam, NY) to get back within two points, but a last-second 3-pointer from Hobart’s Stefan Thompson pushed the margin to five points at the break. John Coleman led all scorers with 15 points at the break, shooting an impressive 7-for-9 from the floor. After falling back by seven at the start of the second half, the Knights quickly turned things around and tied the score at 39-39, but it was the closest the Knights would get to regaining the lead. Hobart’s Stefan Thompson scored eight points, including back-to-back 3-pointers, in a 15-2 run that provided the Statesmen with a double-digit advantage.  With a responsive 7-0 run, Clarkson pulled back to within six points midway through the half, but Hobart halted the momentum. On two more occasions, the Knights were able to reduce the margin to six points, and continued to chip the Hobart lead down to as few as five points in the final minutes, but each time the Statesmen had an answer and were able to hold on for the victory. John Coleman and Marques Charlton (Deer Park, NY) each finished the game with 17 points for Clarkson. Freshman Felix Abongo added in 15 points and Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY) tossed in 13 points for the Knights.  For Hobart, Stefan Thompson scored a game-best 22 points while Joe Gibbons had 16 points. Richie Bonney came a rebound short of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.  

Clarkson’s Nate Uline (40) goes up strong and is fouled, but still converts the basket, plus the “and one.” St. Lawrence edged Clarkson 67-65  ( Camron Waters photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Potsdam's Mark Lake, Jr. (3) flies over Clarkson's Marques Charlton (15) in knocking away the shot, during Tuesday's cross-town contest at Potsdam. The Bears never trailed to win their 2012-13 home opener and dish Clarkson (3-1) their first loss of the season 77-65. Lake scored a game-high 23 points.  (Bob LaRue photo)  Game Gallery.

St. Lawrence University’s Al Jones (11) controls the ball while being defended by Clarkson’s Charles McAllister.  Clarkson overcame St. Lawrence's second half lead on a Jerry Coleman three-pointer, as Clarkson overtook the Saints 69-64 in Liberty League action.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Feb. 16: The St. Lawrence University men's basketball team lost its final game of the 2012-13 season on Saturday, as Richie Bonney's double-double of 34 points and 15 rebounds led Hobart College to a 77-60 victory in Geneva, NY. Brady Condlin, Janpeter Brase and Payton Stahler all scored in double-digits for the Saints. Hobart, which had previously wrapped up the 2013 Liberty League regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming tournament, improves to 19-6 (15-1). The Saints' season comes to an end with a 9-16 mark overall and 7-9 in conference play. Condlin was the leading scorer for the Scarlet and Brown, scoring 16 points while Brase and Stahler added 12 and 10, respectively. Rookie Trent Benton was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field for eight points. However, Bonney's big night was combined with 19 points from Stefan Thompson and 13 from Joe Gibbons en route to the win. St. Lawrence opened the game in style, as Leondre Simmon, Condlin and Brase all scored for a quick 7-0 lead. Hobart would take little time in answering, though the Saints would hang tough throughout the first half, tied 29-29 with 3:25 remaining. Unfortunately, Hobart would run out the half on an 8-0 run to grab its largest lead at 37-29. The momentum would remain on the side of the Statesmen, as the continued to impress early in the second half, growing the lead to 13 on a lay-up by Bonney. However, the Saints would rally behind a 14-5 run to creep back to within four at 49-45 with 11 minutes to go. Marty Lewis, Condlin and Kyle Miller knocked down threes and Stahler added a two-point jumper to keep the Saints within striking distance. However, Bonney would begin to take over both on the glass and in scoring for Hobart, as he was able to push the lead back to 11 with 5:22 to go. Thompson would put the game away with a dagger three with 2:31 left to put Hobart up by 16 on the way to the 77-60 victory. Miller, playing in his final game at St. Lawrence, added three points, two steals and two blocks. The Saints shot 41% from the field including 27% from behind the arc, but were outdone by Hobart's 52% from the field and 38% from three point land. Hobart will host Skidmore on Wednesday in the Liberty League Semifinals, while Union hosts Rensselaer in the other game.

Feb. 15: RIT scored 50 second-half points en route to a 73-60 victory over St. Lawrence University in Friday night's Liberty League game in Rochester, NY. RIT improved to 9-15 overall and 7-8 in the league while the Saints fell to 9-15 and 5-10 in the conference. The Saints led 30-23 at the half, and then extended their lead to 10 points in the second half. RIT, however, went on a 19-0 run, taking its largest lead of the game at 15 points with 8:52 left to play and holding the Saints off for the 73-60 victory. St. Lawrence was led by senior captain Kyle Miller who scored 14 points. Junior Janpeter Brase tallied 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds while first-year student Marty Lewis scored 11. The Saints shot 40.4 percent from the floor on 23-of-57 shooting. The Saints will battle Hobart in their season finale in Geneva, NY on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

St. Lawrence University’s Kyle Miller (4) nails a three-ball in the face of Clarkson defender and Potsdam NY native John Coleman (22). The Saints, led by sophomore Brady Condlin's game-high 20 points, outlasted Clarkson in the final minute to post a big 67-65 at Clarkson.(Cam Waters photo)  Game Gallery

St. Lawrence University’s Brady Condlin (24) of Massena, NY blocks a fade-away jump shot by a Skidmore player.  Condlin added 15 points in the win. (C. Waters photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Potsdam’s Josh Lambert (3) skies to the hoop in the first half of Tuesday’s game agaisnt SUNY Plattsburgh. Plattsburgh used a second half explosion to blow open a close 39-38 game at the half, beating Potsdam 88-63. John Perez finished with 16 points for Plattsburgh, while Mark Lee led Potsdam with 17.
 (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

Feb. 16: The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (9-16, 5-13 SUNYAC) dropped their season finale to SUNY Cortland (21-4, 15-3 SUNYAC) Saturday afternoon. The Red Dragons used a strong second half surge to defeat the Bears, 69-56. Senior guard Mark Lake, Jr. led the Bears with 16 points and six rebounds. The lead would exchange seven times in a tightly contested first half as both team battled to gain momentum. Cortland struck first at the 19:36 mark with a three pointer from senior guard Jeremy Smith. Lake would answer 20 seconds later with a steal and a pull up jumper to put Potsdam on the board. Each team would fight for position for the next seven minutes until back-to-back threes by Smith gave the Red Dragons a five-point lead. However, senior forward Curtis Pierce would answer with a deep bucket from beyond the arc with 10:40 remaining to stop the Cortland momentum. The Red Dragons held the slight edge over the Bears for five more minutes until Lake connected on a three pointer to give Potsdam a two-point lead. The battle ensued but it was the Bears who would claim the 33-32 advantage at halftime with back-to-back buckets by junior forward Colin Peterson. Once again, Potsdam would struggle to stop a red-hot three point shooting squad. The Red Dragons connected on 10 baskets from beyond the arc to surge past the Bears. Cortland would open the final stanza on a 14-5 run to increase the lead to eight points with 15:28 remaining. Potsdam had no answer as four straight free throws by Smith extended the deficit to 16 points at the 7:22 mark. The Bears attempted to mount a final offensive but the Red Dragons held off the charge to secure the 69-56 victory. Potsdam shot 42% from the floor and 18% from the three-point line. Cortland finished shooting 41% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. The Red Dragons edged the Bears in rebounds 34 to 30. Peterson finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Sophomore forwardZac Adams added 10 points and five boards. Smith led the Red Dragons with 29 points including six three-point baskets. Senior guard Brian Manning and junior forward Kevin McMahon each notched 11 points. Pierce finishes his career tied for 6th place on the all-time scoring list with 1,447 points and claims sole possession of the 6th spot on the all-time rebounding list with 725 boards. 

Feb. 15: The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (9-15, 5-12 SUNYAC) fell to Oswego State (18-6, 11-6 SUNYAC), 76-65 late Friday evening. Senior captain Curtis Pierce led the Bears with 18 points. Both teams struggled to find a rhythm to start the first half. It took three minutes into the contest before the first basket was scored. Senior guard Mark Lake, Jr. would connect on a floating jumper to put Potsdam on the board at the 16:58 mark. Shortly after, graduate student guard Sean Michele connected on a bucket from beyond the arc to ignite the Lakers three point shooting. Oswego would hit three consecutive three point baskets to claim an 11-6 advantage with 14:03 remaining. Junior forward Rob Duquette answered with a strong layup and the free throw at the 12:05 mark to cut the lead to two points. However, the threes continued to fall for the Lakers and a bucket by senior guard Alex Mirabito extended the deficit to 11 points with 6:40 remaining. Oswego would close out the first half with eight three pointers and hold a 38-25 advantage at halftime. Oswego used 52% shooting from beyond the arc to hold off the Bears in the final stanza. Potsdam continued to battle in the second half despite the red-hot shooting from the Lakers. Oswego would hold a 16-point lead with 12:48 remaining after a good basket by senior forward Hayden Ward. Senior guard Josh Lambert proved to be a spark for Potsdam as a pair of free throws and tough defense ignited a 10-2 run at the 12:11 mark. Sophomore forward Zac Adams would cap off the Bears charge with a layup to cut the lead to eight points with 9:27 remaining. Yet, the Lakers three point shooting started to heat up again as a three ball by Michele halted Potsdam spurt. Two more three point baskets and free throws in the remaining five minutes would give Oswego the edge and secure the 76-65 win. Potsdam shot 41% from the field and only 27% from beyond the arc. Oswego finished shooting 46% from the floor and 52% from the three-point line. The Lakers out rebounded the Bears 36 to 32. Lake finished with 11 points. Adams added 10 points and five boards. Ward tallied a double-double performance with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Michele totaled 16 points. Mirabito finished with 14 points and senior forward Chris Gilkes added 12. The Bears will host SUNY Cortland tomorrow for their final game of the season at 4 p.m.

SUNY Potsdam freshman guard Joe Estramonte (11) darts around a pair of Clarkson defenders, Felix Abongo (33) and Christian Collette (20) en route to scoring a quick inside layup.  SUNY Potsdam held Clarkson at arms length all night, as the Golden Knights closed early within a point, but never took the lead.  Bears won 77-65.  (Bob LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Potsdam’s Zac Adams (44), Potsdam, NY and Ithaca’s Tom Sweeney (52) battle for rebounding position during Friday’s game at the North Country Invitational at Clarkson. Potsdam led 33-29 after a seesaw first half. Ithaca outdueled the Bears 47-36 in the second half for the 76-69 tournament win.
(John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

North Country men's scores are posted in next column.
To date, no details have been provided for the games.

St. Lawrence University’s Allison Cady (20) fires a shot past Skidmore defenders Angela Botiba (21) and Amber Holgate (24). The Saints held off a second-half push by Skidmore to earn a 58-44 victory in the 2012-13 Liberty League semifinal game on Wednesday. The Saints will host the title game Saturday in Canton.  (Cody Jenne photo)  Game Gallery

Skidmore’s Angela Botiba (21) skies for a shot while facing heavy defense from St. Lawrence University’s Amanda Roberts (22) and Kara McDuffee (3).

March 1: The #9 Tufts women's basketball team hit seven of 10 three-point attempts in the first half and never looked back while posting a 57-32 victory over St. Lawrence University in the NCAA Div. III Championships first round on Friday night at Cousens Gym. The Jumbos, now 24-2 overall, will face Babson College in a Greater Boston area NCAA Regional final at Cousens tomorrow night at 7 pm. The Beavers (26-2) won 61-45 against New Paltz in the other NCAA first round game at Cousens on Friday night. A young and promising St. Lawrence team finishes its season with a 19-9 record. "We knew coming into this game that this was going to be a tough match up for us," said St. Lawrence head coach Dan Roiger.  "We didn't shoot well, and Tufts shot the lights out in the first half and is a fantastic defensive team.  This was a great experience for a young team.  I'm proud of all that we accomplished this season."   The Saints scored the game's first basket on a jumper by sophomore Kara McDuffee. However, Tufts made their first four three-point attempts by four different players while charging to a 19-5 lead.  When sophomore center Hayley Kanner banked one in on her first three-point attempt of the season, Tufts led 24-5 to cap a 24-3 run covering eight minutes. Sophomore Hannah Foley later tossed in a three-point heave as the shot clock expired, helping the Jumbos to a 35-13 advantage at intermission. Kanner's nine points led Tufts at the break. The Jumbos had nine assists on 12 first-half baskets, including three by junior Liz Moynihan.  Tufts also had eight steals in the first 20 minutes, with three by first-year Emma Roberson. Tufts was five for 17 (.294) on non three-point shots in the first half. McDuffee totaled nine points with five rebounds for the Saints in the opening half, while junior Kelly Legg had four points with three rebounds and a block. The Saints would again score the first points of the half on a free throw by first-year Amanda Roberts to open the second.  Tufts scored the next nine though, and led 44-14 after a free throw by Kate Barnosky at the 14-minute mark. That 30-point margin would be the largest of the game for the Jumbos. St. Lawrence would not get any closer than 23 points, which came late in the contest after a layup by first-year Lauren Quattrocchi made it 55-32. The seven threes would be the Tufts total at the end of the game after they missed all six of their attempts in the second half.  Foley and Kanner both finished at 11 points to lead Tufts, while Foley's six rebounds also led the winners.  Barnosky had nine points, four rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, while senior co-captain Bre Dufault finished with nine points, five rebounds, and two steals. The 32 points allowed by Tufts matched their second-best defensive performance of the season.  Legg led the Saints with 11 points and eight rebounds, while McDuffee totaled nine points and seven rebounds. St. Lawrence shot just 26.2 percent (11/42) overall, including 2 for 12 (.167) on threes.

Feb. 23: The St. Lawrence University women's basketball team is heading back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009, as the Saints held off William Smith, 51-48, in a back-and-forth battle for the Liberty League title and automatic national tournament bid. Junior Kelly Legg, who had a team-high 18 points, was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player, while sophomore Allison Cady earned All-Tournament Team honors after a 14-point effort. St. Lawrence will find out its NCAA destination and opponent on Monday after improving to 19-8 on the year. The Herons, who held a 20-19 halftime lead on Saturday, finish the 2013 season with a 17-10 mark. "I am so proud of the way our team responded after a tough first half," said St. Lawrence head coach Dan Roiger, who will coach in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. "Everyone seemed to chip in down the stretch, either with key free throws, big baskets or solid rebounds. We were tested by an outstanding basketball team in William Smith, and hats off to their seniors who did a tremendous job this afternoon." The Herons were led by senior Sydni Salvatore, who seemingly put her team's offense on her back at times en route to a 26-point effort on 8-of-16 shooting. Sasha Borenstein added 10 points for William Smith, while Jacqueline Murphy grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. In a game that featured 12 lead changes and eight ties, neither St. Lawrence nor William Smith led by more than four points the entire contest. Neither team was able to get much going in the first half, but both teams came out looking to earn the conference title in the second half. The two teams exchanged baskets throughout the second period, and a jumper by junior co-captain Cassie St. Hilaire with 11:52 remaining gave St. Lawrence the lead, 33-32. Though William Smith kept within striking distance for the remainder of the game, and had several possessions with a chance to take the lead, the visitors simply couldn't convert when they needed the bucket. Trailing 45-44 with under 2:00 minutes to play, William Smith opted to start fouling and sent Amanda Roberts to the free throw line for a 1-and-1. The rookie point guard knocked down both tries to extend the lead to three, but Salvatore answered with two points of her own. Kara McDuffee, who finished with six points, eight rebounds, six assists and six steals for St. Lawrence, would deliver four clutch free throws in the final seconds, keeping the Saints' three-point lead intact at 51-48 with :10 seconds left. Though William Smith would get the ball to halfcourt and set up an offensive play, senior Jaimie Rubin's three point from well-outside the arc came up short and bounced out of bounds with 1.2 seconds remaining. The Saints inbounded the ball and the clock ran out, giving the Scarlet and Brown the 51-48 win and the NCAA Tournament berth. It will be the 10th NCAA appearance for St. Lawrence coming off the program's sixth conference tournament title. The home team also improved to 4-2 all-time against William Smith in the conference championship game and finished the season unbeaten against Liberty League foes on its home floor. The Herons owned a 43-34 advantage in rebounds and were solid defensively, but were done in by their struggles on the offensive end, shooting 31% (18-for-58) with 19 turnovers. Following the game, the All-Tournament Team was recognized, including Legg, Cady, Salvatore, Vassar's Colleen O'Connell and Dani DeGregory of Skidmore. The Saints then took turns cutting down the net after receiving the Liberty League Championship trophy at center court.
 

St. Lawrence University’s Julia Raue (31) knocks down a jumper over Clarkson’s Colleen Daley (20).  Kara McDuffee scored 21 points, while Lauren Quattroccho added 15 points and Cassie St. Hilaire pitched in 10 points in the Saints 69-47 win over Clarkson.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

St. Lawrence University’s Kelly Legg (42) knocks down a jumper over SUNY Potsdam’s Colleen McNamara (2).  The Saints ignited for an 18-4 run to open the second half, building a 71-49 victory.   (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery 

Plattsburgh’s Ayomide Adedapo (32) drives towards the basket during Tuesday night’s league game.  Plattsburgh thumped Potsdam 73-32.  (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Potsdam’s Katy Briedis (15), a Canton native, guards SUNY Plattsburgh’s Brooke Reifinger (20). Potsdam stayed even with the Plattsburgh through the first 10 minutes of the contest, but the Cardinals heated up for a 23-10 run to close the half, en route to a 73-32 rout over the Bears.

Feb. 22:  In perhaps its toughest, most emotional game of the season, the Plattsburgh State women’s basketball team couldn’t say the third time was the charm for a second consecutive outing.   Kathleen Payne scored a game-high 23 point, but a late New Paltz surge eliminated the Cardinals in the SUNYAC Championship Tournament semifinals as the Hawks took a 63-59 decision at the Hawk Center on Friday night.   With the loss, the Cardinals wrap up their season with a 15-12 overall record – bettering its win total from the previous season for the third consecutive season and. The Hawks improve to 23-3 and will face SUNY Geneseo in the championship game of the SUNYAC Tournament on Saturday at 4 p.m.   Plattsburgh State knew it had the tools to defeat the Hawks, as they clubs had already played two hard-fought games in the 2012-13 regular season including one that had to be settled in overtime.   New Paltz opened the game on a 4-0 run before Payne put the Cardinals on the board with a make from downtown. Playing in what would prove to be her final collegiate basketball game, Catherine Cassidy gave the Cardinals their first lead of the tilt.   The senior barreled inside and got her contested layup to fall before stepping to the line to complete the old-fashioned three-point play that made things 6-4 Plattsburgh State with 17:01 to go in the opening frame.   That lead by the Cardinals was short-lived, though, as the Hawks surged ahead to take a seven-point lead with 10:09 to go in the half. After staking the home team to its largest lead of the frame, the Cardinals began the process of chipping away at the lead.   Although she is rarely the first offensive option for the Cardinals, it was Ayomide Adedapo who banked home a layup to get Plattsburgh State rolling. From there, Payne drilled yet another triple before Michelle Valle hit a free throw to push the New Paltz lead back to three.   Adedapo hit another jumper on the ensuing Plattsburgh State possession, shrinking the lead for the home team to just one, before another pair of Cardinals joined the battle.   With 4:22 to go in the frame, Yazmin Lewis stepped to the charity stripe and sunk a pair of free throws before Tequilla Lloyd came into the picture. The junior gave the Cardinals the lead once again with a fast break layup that made matters 25-24 with 4:02 to go in the first stanza.   Lloyd was at it again on the next Plattsburgh State possession, hitting a short jumper in the painted area that pushed the lead for the Cardinals to 27-24.   On the heels of a 4-0 New Paltz spurt, Payne hit a pair of jumpers in the final 1:56 of the half, sending the Cardinals to their locker room with a 31-30 lead at the half.   Early on in the deciding frame, New Paltz seemed to be wearing down the Cardinals. The Hawks took their largest lead of the game at 48-40 after Alex McCullough nailed a long ball with 11:17 to go in the game, but the Cardinals were far from finished.   Brittany Marshall joined forces with Payne to lead the Cardinals on a 13-2 run that gave the visitors a 53-50 lead with 4:44 to go, setting up a dramatic fight to the finish.   After Valle hit two additional free throws, Lloyd responded with a layup and Cassidy kept the Cardinals in front with a make at the foul line that made things 56-54 with 1:22 to go.   McCullough, though, hit arguably the biggest shot of the game when she rattled home another trey that gave New Paltz a 57-56 lead with 1:05 remaining.   The Hawks saw their lead grow to five with nine seconds left, but Marshall hit a three-pointer with four seconds to go, giving the Cardinals an ounce of life. Unfortunately, Maliqua Fisher sealed the deal with a pair of free throws with two seconds left on the clock to account for the final margin.   Aside from Payne, no Plattsburgh State player reached double figures in the scoring column. Marshall scored nine to go along with six rebounds and team-high three assists. Lloyd ripped down a team-high 13 rebounds that helped the Cardinals out-rebound the Hawks 51-38.   Valle put in 14 for the Hawks and completed her double-double with a game-high 14 boards. Fisher, McCullough and Alyssa Fratien each chipped in 10 points for the Hawks.   The Cardinals limited the Hawks to a 31 percent night from the field (18-of-58), but the home squad went 22-of-29 (75.9 percent) from the free throw line and committed five fewer turnovers than Plattsburgh State.   Three Plattsburgh State players, Cassidy, Dana Nucaro and Johni Coryea, played in their final collegiate basketball game – which happened to be a game that the Cardinals were playing in for just the second time in the history of their program.

Feb. 16: Having already locked up a SUNYAC playoff berth with a win over SUNY Cortland the previous evening, the Plattsburgh State women’s basketball team had one more important job to do: give its senior class a grand sendoff in their final game in Memorial Hall. That particular plan went off without a hitch. Brittany Marshall recorded a game-high 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting and Kathleen Payne added 15 more as the Cardinals blasted Oswego State 65-47 in the final regular season game of 2012-13 for both clubs. The Cardinals (14-11, 10-8 SUNYAC) – who have won their last five games - will be forced to wait until later tonight to find out what seed they are in the upcoming SUNYAC tournament. Although the locked up the No. 3 seed in the postseason tournament, the Lakers (17-8, 11-7 SUNYAC) were without the services of Evelyn Josbena who injured herself in pregame warm-ups. Directly after an emotional senior day ceremony, the senior-to-senior connection of Catherine Cassidy and Dana Nucaro put the first points on the board as the latter banked home a layup thanks to an assist from the former. Through the first 5:24 of the contest, Plattsburgh State controlled the tempo, but the Lakers used a 7-0 run to take their only lead of the game with 12:11 to go. Jenn Robbins drilled a deep triple before finishing the mini-surge with a mid-range jumper that made things 14-10 Oswego. Although it was senior day, one of the youngest players on the Plattsburgh State roster gave the Cardinals the lead for the rest of the game after the Lakers concluded their brief run. Freshman Devona Paul netted the next eight points for the Cardinals as part of a 12-0 run that helped Plattsburgh State increase its lead to eight, 22-14, with 6:34 to go in the frame. Johni Coryea – the third member of the final-year triumvirate – gave the Cardinals their largest lead of the frame, 27-17, with a two-point jumper off of a great assist from Nucaro. Oswego, though, used the remaining 3:39 in the half to go on a 10-2 run to cut Plattsburgh’s lead to 29-27 heading into halftime. Although the Lakers were able to keep things close in the first 20 minutes, the second half belonged solely to the home squad. Payne and Marshall scored all but two points during an 11-0 run by the Cardinals in the first 6:05 of the half. During that span, Plattsburgh State’s defense forced the Lakers into one uncomfortable situation after another as the visitors were 0-of-6 from the field while committing five turnovers during the span. Sarah Hansen connected on an Oswego State layup that brought the Plattsburgh State lead down to seven with 9:52 to go, but the Cardinals up-tempo pace finally exhausted the Lakers as the home squad constructed a 22-5 run over the next 7:17 to put the game away. Cassidy finished off the monster run with a triple from Coryea and the Cardinals were able to put things on cruise control for the final 2:35. Plattsburgh State made the second half a nightmare for the Lakers as the visitors committed just five fewer turnovers (15) than they scored points (20) in the 20-minute period. Oswego State shot just 9-of-26 (34.6 percent) from the field in the second half while the Cardinals hit 16 of their 32 field goals attempts (50 percent) during that same span. Payne completed her double-double bid with a game-high 10 rebounds, helping the Cardinals out-board the Lakers 40-37 in the contest. Nucaro finished with a great stat line of two points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Cassidy dished out a game-high five assists and scored five points of her own. Coryea chipped in two points, a rebound and an assist. Lauren Nunziato was the only player for the Lakers to reach double-figures in the scoring column as she netted 13. Depending on the outcome of the Buffalo State/SUNY Geneseo game on Saturday night, the Cardinals will be either the fifth or sixth seed in the SUNYAC Tournament. A win by Geneseo would mean Plattsburgh State would play Oneonta State while a victory by Buffalo State would send the Cardinals to Oswego to face the Lakers once again. 

SUNY Potsdam’s Katy Briedis (15), a Canton native, guards SUNY Plattsburgh’s Brooke Reifinger (20). Potsdam stayed even with the Plattsburgh through the first 10 minutes of the contest, but the Cardinals heated up for a 23-10 run to close the half, en route to a 73-32 rout. (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Potsdam’s Bailey Weigel (10) drives to the bucket while defended by Utica’s Brittany Baudanza (35). The Bears fell to Utica College 58-35 in the opener for both teams. Foul trouble plagued the Bears during the first half of the game at Potsdam.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Feb. 16: SUNY Cortland (11-13, 9-9 SUNYAC) pulled away late in the second half for a 67-55 victory over the SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (1-24, 0-18) in the Bears' season finale on Saturday afternoon. Potsdam seniors Katy Briedis and Adedoyin Akingba stood tall on Senior Day. Briedis led the Bears with 16 points and Akingba recorded her first double-double with a career-high 10 points and 10 boards. After Potsdam junior guard Hannah Kmiecinski opened the scoring with a three-pointer 30 seconds into the game, the Red Dragons answered with and 18-0 run. Cortland freshman guard Caysea Cohen scored seven points and junior guard Megan Touhey had six during the run. Bears Head Coach Tara Ruckh called a timeout down 18-3 at the 13:55 mark to settle her troops. The break worked as Potsdam fought it's way back into the contest with a 24-11streak. The Bears hit five three-pointers during the run, including two each from sophomore guard Carli Reynolds and junior forward Jessica Kouzan. A Briedis layup with 41 seconds left got Potsdam within 29-27 at the break. The Bears continued their momentum early in the second half. Briedis tied the game with a jumper 41 seconds into the final period and Akingba put Potsdam up 31-29 a minute later. The teams traded baskets over the next four minutes. A layup from Cortland sophomore guard Lindsey Minor put the Red Dragons back in front for good and kicked off a 13-2 run. Cortland built its lead to as large as 17 with 1:52 to play. Potsdam chipped away to get to within 12 before falling 67-55. Touhey and sophomore forward Erin Wostenholme scored a game-high 18 points for Cortland, while Cohen also reached double digits with 10 points. Kouzan chipped in 12 for Potsdam. The Red Dragons shot 41.1 percent from the floor, while the Bears finished at 38.8 percent. Briedis finishes her Potsdam career in ninth place on the Bears' all-time scoring list with 779 points. 

Feb. 15: The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (1-23, 0-17 SUNYAC) fell to Oswego State (17-7, 11-6 SUNYAC), 70-47 Friday night. Senior guard Katy Briedis led the Bears with 16 points and eight rebounds in the loss. Oswego kicked off the scoring in the first half with a quick bucket by senior forward Meagan Stover. Briedis answered immediately with a 15-foot jump shot to get the Bears on the board at the 19:19 mark. Both teams would jostle for the lead in the next five minutes until a three pointer by Oswego's junior guard Jenn Robbins sparked a 12-2 run with 13 minutes remaining. Sophomore guard Carli Reynold was able to halt the Lakers charge with a pair of free throws at the 9:47 mark. The Bears clawed at the lead and an old fashion three point play by junior forward Jessica Kouzan brought Potsdam within seven. Yet, Oswego continued to play tough defense. The Lakers slowly increased the deficit and a big three-point basket by Robbins as time expired gave Oswego the 37-24 advantage at the break. Oswego used Robbins three as momentum going into the final half. The Lakers took over offensively, mounting a 15-4 spurt in the opening five minutes of the second stanza. The Bears continued to battle despite the large deficit. However, senior guard Kassie Kleine would connect on a good layup and the free throw to deflate Potsdam and secure the 70-47 victory. Potsdam shot 29% from the floor and 30% from beyond the arc. Oswego finished shooting 47% from the field and 40% from the three-point line. The Bears held the advantage in rebounds with 44 to the Lakers' 34. Senior forward Adedoyin Akingba was the next highest scorer with eight points and seven rebounds. Junior forward Paula Egelston led the Lakers with 14 points. Robbins finished with 13 points. Junior guard Lauren Nunziato totaled 11 points. Senior forward Evelyn Josbena added seven points and 12 boards. The Bears wrap up their season tomorrow when they host SUNY Cortland at 2 p.m.

SUNY Canton defender Ashley Merritt (12) hassles St. Joseph’s shooter Brittany Garrow (21) as she attempts a three-point shot.  (Camron Waters photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Canton’s Kaitlin Myers (34) from Dannemora, NY stops a driving St. Joseph's guard on her way to the basket.

Feb. 16: Senior forward Kaitlin Myers (Dannemora, N.Y.) went out with a bang on Saturday as she posted a remarkable triple-double in her final home game, as the SUNY Canton women’s basketball team beat the University of Maine at Fort Kent 55-48. Myers scored 18 points, hauled in 24 rebounds and blocked 13 shots in a dominating defensive display.  Myers nearly reached the incredible feat by halftime as she collected 10 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks in the first 20 minutes.  She finished 7-for-12 from the field, a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line, and she also made three steals in 39 minutes.  She left the game with under a minute to go to a standing ovation from her teammates and fans. Prior to the game, Myers and senior forward Brittany Crump (North Lawrence, N.Y.) were both honored and recognized along with their parents. SUNY Canton opened the game on a 6-1 run on two baskets from Myers and one from junior Joelle Percy (Black River, N.Y.).  The Roos stretched their lead into double digits when Percy made a steal and junior Alicia Uhlein (Watertown, N.Y.) converted a layup to make the score 18-7 with 8:02 on the clock.  Fort Kent trimmed the lead down to 19-14 with just over five minutes remaining, but the Roos scored back-to-back jumpers and led 23-16 at the half. SUNY Canton pushed the lead back into double figures midway through the second half, and extended their advantage to as much as 16 points, 37-21, following a floating jumper in the paint from Corrine Riegel (Bainbridge, N.Y.) with 9:59 remaining in the contest.  The Bengals chipped away at the lead and narrowed the gap to 49-43 with 1:13 left, but Percy, who was in a shooting slump the past two games, calmly sank two free throws followed by two more from Myers to secure the win for SUNY Canton. Freshman Karyss Terrance (Hogansburg, N.Y.) scored 10 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for her fifth double-double.  Percy finished with 14 points and five steals.  Uhlein totaled six points, eight assists, five rebounds, and four steals.  Rielge ended with three points and four boards, and freshman Brianna Sayer (Hermon, N.Y.) contributed four points and four rebounds. Jennifer Colpitts led the Bengals with 20 points and six rebounds.  Taylor Boucher knocked down three 3-pointers and added 11 points and four rebounds.

Feb 14: The SUNY Canton women’s basketball team came out on the short end of the score Thursday night as they lost to SUNY Cobleskill 57-54 on Valentine’s Day in Roos House. The Roos (11-9) and Tigers (9-14) split during the regular season after SUNY Canton captured a 72-68 double-overtime victory in Cobleskill back in November. Senior forward Kaitlin Myers (Dannemora, N.Y.), who played two years for Cobleskill before transferring to SUNY Canton, posted her seventh double-double this season with 10 points and 15 rebounds.  Myers played the entire game and also had three assists and two blocks. Freshman forward Brianna Sayer (Hermon, N.Y.) added 14 points and nine boards.  Freshman forward Karyss Terrance (Hogansburg, N.Y.) totaled 12 points and nine rebounds.  Junior Joelle Percy (Black River, N.Y.) scored nine points and made two steals, and sophomore Corrine Riegel (Bainbridge, N.Y.), despite battling the flu, added six points and two rebounds off the bench. Thursday night’s game was a topsy-turvy affair with numerous game swings and runs, and a rough start by both teams to start the second half. SUNY Canton came out strong in the first half and opened a 14-4 advantage through the first nine minutes with a dominating rebounding performance at both ends of the court.  The Roos out rebounded the Tigers 48-35 in the game, including a 17-3 edge during that opening stretch. SUNY Canton’s lead increased to 19-8 with just under 10 minutes remaining, but the Tigers closed the first half on a 26-14 run to take a 34-33 lead into the locker room. Both teams struggled out of the gates in the second half combining for six turnovers and two missed field goals in the first 90 seconds.  SUNY Canton continued to struggle from the field,  getting just one free throw from Sayer during the first five minutes, as Cobleskill built a 44-34 lead.  The Roos didn’t score their first basket of the second half until Sayer knocked down a 3-pointer with 13:10 on the clock, and that started an 8-2 run over the next three minutes that pulled the home team within a point at 46-45. Cobleskill went back up by six points after a jumper from Alexis Hauser with 2:26 remaining, but a free throw jumper by Myers and an offensive rebound and put back by Terrence again drew the Roos close at 55-54 with 35 second left.  SUNY Canton was forced to foul, and the Tigers converted 2 of 4 attempts in the final 20 seconds giving the Roos one final chance to force overtime.  Myers brought the ball down court and dished to Sayer, whose 3-pointer at the buzzer just missed the mark. Samantha Davis led three Tigers in double-digits with 14 points and five rebounds, and Hauser finished with 13 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. The Roos close out their regular season on Saturday, Feb. 16 hosting the University of Maine at Fort Kent at 12 p.m. in Roos House.

St. Lawrence University’s Lauren Quattrocchi (21) chases after the loose ball with SUNY Canton’s Brianna Sayer (10), formerly Hermon-DeKalb. The Saints cruised past Canton 74-37 in a non-conference matchup at Roos' House. Sophomore Kara McDuffee led the Saints with 18 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Canton’s Kaitlin Myers (34) from Dannemora, NY blocks the shot by Albany Pharmacy’s Alyson Johnson from Malone, NY. In a game that featured several former North Country players on both sides, SUNY Canton dropped their home opener to Albany Pharmacy 54-44 in the Kevin Fee-Roos Classic.
(Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

 SUNY Canton’s Brianna Sayer (formerly Hermon-DeKalb) and Karyss Terrance (Salmon River) get tied up with Clarkson’s Ashley Loggins (11). Terrance scored 17 points and Kaitlin Myers (Dannemora) added 16 points as Canton topped Clarkson for the first time 69-62. The Roos knocked down nine trifectas in the win.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Clarkson’s Jovanna Snead (15) drives towards the baseline while defended by St. Lawrence University’s Katie Murray.
(Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Feb. 16: Freshman Ashley Loggins (Albany, NY) had a game-high 23 points, but the effort wasn't enough for the Clarkson University Women's Basketball team as RIT ended the Golden Knights season with a 69-59 Liberty League loss. The Golden Knights ended the season with a record of 4-20 overall and 2-14 in conference games, while the Tigers finished at 12-13 overall and 8-8 in the Liberty League. The Golden Knights started the game with a small lead, edging out by as many as eight points in the early going (13-5) after a 3-pointer from Melissa Bogart (Voorheesville, NY). Clarkson led by seven late in the half, but a four-minute scoreless stretch that saw the Knights go 0-for-4 from the field with four turnovers allowed RIT to take the lead with just a minute remaining. Clarkson battled back to reclaim the lead and led by a point at the break. Another tough stretch where the Knights went 0-for-5 from the field with four turnovers gave the Tigers the opening they needed. Clarkson led by three early in the second half but a three-plus minute stretch saw RIT go on a 13-0 run. The Knights would never regain the advantage, though with five minutes to go Clarkson was within four points before another 10-2 run by the Tigers ended any chance of a comeback. Loggins finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists to lead all scorers, while Leighann Tomita (Cerritos, CA) tossed in 13 points. Colleen Daley (Orchard Park, NY) added a solid effort with 11 points, five rebounds, four blocks and three steals, and Melissa Bogart had eight points and eight boards. For RIT, Jess Kramer had a team-best 18 points on 8-for-16 shooting, while Leslie Havens (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Courtney Tennant (12 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles. Although the season came to a disappointing close, the Golden Knights saw several marks fall in the program record book. Colleen Daley broke the single-season blocks record at Clarkson on Saturday, denying her 53rd and then 54th shot of the season, surpassing a near-decade old record by Mickala Henson. Ashley Loggins is certainly off to a strong start as well for Clarkson, scoring 17.4 points per game, the second-highest figure in school history. Her 417 points were the sixth-most in one season as well. Loggins set new single-season standards for rebounds per game (10.3 rpg) and offensive rebounds (99), as well as recording the fourth-most rebounds (246), fifth-most defensive rebounds (147), sixth-most free throws made (91) and sixth-most field goals made (156) in a single-season.

Feb. 15: A strong defensive effort in the first half allowed the Clarkson University Women’s Basketball team to stick close to William Smith, but the Herons second-chance opportunities combined with Golden Knight turnovers allowed the hosts to step away with a 60-48 Liberty League victoryFriday night. The Golden Knights fell to 4-19 overall and 2-13 in the Liberty League, while William Smith improved to 15-9 overall and 9-6 in conference games. Clarkson closes out the regular season on Saturday against RIT. The Golden Knights held William Smith to just 22.2% shooting (10-for-45) in the first half, but the Herons were able to control the pace of the game thanks to an incredible 20 offensive rebounds in the first half. The two teams went back and forth in the first half with neither team enjoying more than a four-point advantage. Clarkson had a modest lead at the end of the first period, but a last-second shot knotted the game at 24-24 at the break. The game was tied for a seventh time early in the second half, but the Herons, armed with a higher shooting percentage in the second half, slowly pulled away. Clarkson was within seven points with less than five minutes to go, but a 8-0 run over the course of just one minutes turned the tides quickly and allowed the Herons to cruise down the stretch to the win. Sophomore Leighann Tomita (Cerritos, CA) finished with a team-best 15 points, shooting 6-for-14 from the field in 38 minutes, while Ashley Loggins(Albany, NY) added 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Freshman Colleen Daley (Orchard Park, NY) was strong on the defensive end with six blocks, moving her season total to 50, the second-highest total in Clarkson program history. For William Smith, Chloe Hayter had 190 points and 10 rebounds, while Sasha Borenstein added 15 points off the bench.

Clarkson’s Isabella Esposito (45) goes up for the lay-in over SUNY Canton freshman Karyss Terrance (40) from Salmon River. SUNY Canton topped Clarkson for the first time 69-62.   (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Bard’s Imani Jones (5) shoots over Clarkson’s Melissa Bogart (2) during the first half of Friday’s night league matchup at Alumni Gymnasium. Behind a 21-point effort from Tytravia Riley, Bard never trailed, beating the Golden Knights 52-46. 
 (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

North Country women's scores are posted in next column.  To date, no details have been provided for the games.