Box Score PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – With the SUNYAC’s leading scorer in Becky Hebert leading Fredonia State into Plattsburgh, the Plattsburgh State women’s basketball team knew it would probably have its hands full trying to contain the versatile guard who had been averaging 22.3 points per game coming into the tilt.

While Hebert ended up getting hers, Brittany Marshall proved she is not to be trifled with on the hardwood, either.

Marshall scored a game-high 21 points and the Cardinals outscored Fredonia State 50-25 in the deciding half to earn a lopsided 79-50 victory over the Blue Devils on Friday (Dec. 7) night in Memorial Hall.

Perhaps more impressive than the final tally was the defensive pressure the Cardinals (4-2, 1-2 SUNYAC) placed on the Blue Devils in the final 20 minutes of action. Fredonia State connected on a paltry 18.8 percent of its field goal attempts (six-for-32) in the final frame while the swarming Cardinals defensive unit forced 13 turnovers. The Blue Devils (5-3, 1-2 SUNYAC)  nearly capitalized more at the free throw stripe (12 points) than in the field (13 points) in the decisive second half.

Despite what the final score indicated, the Blue Devils were in control for the majority of the first stanza. Plattsburgh State held just two slim leads in the first 15:57 of play as consecutive layups by Dana Nucaro and Marshall gave the Cardinals an early 5-2 lead less than three minutes after the tip.

After the Blue Devils forged ahead to take a three-point lead of their own, another layup from Nucaro followed by another off the hand of Catherine Cassidy gave the Cardinals a 9-8 lead with 14:28 to go in the half.

From there, Fredonia elected to slow down the tempo and control the pace of the game as it gradually built up a 19-13 lead with 8:05 showing on the clock. After that, the Cardinals finally got going.

Thanks to Marshall, who was in some way responsible for 11 of the 12 points on the Cardinals’ game-changing 12-2 spurt, the home team would never trail again. After a Kathleen Payne free throw got things started, Marshall received a pass from Yazmin Lewis - who had just stole the ball – and found Devona Paul under the basket who banked in a layup and completed a three-point play at the foul line.

After a layup from Hebert, Marshall rattled off eight straight points with the finishing blow coming from beyond the arc to make it 25-21 Plattsburgh State with 3:31 to go in the frame.

The strong conclusion to the first half carried over into the deciding stanza, as the Cardinals used a 15-0 run to put to effectively put the game on ice as they led 46-29 with 12:23 remaining in the game.

Jade Pellerin’s layup with 35 seconds to go in the game gave the Cardinals their largest advantage of the game at 77-46 before all zeroes were displayed on the game clock.

Marshall finished nine-of-19 from the field and added six assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals to her stat line. Tequilla Lloyd was the only other Plattsburgh State player to reach double figures, netting 11 on a five-of-five night from the field.

Hebert finished with 21, but was just five-of-13 from the field and one-of-six from downtown. She excelled at the free throw stripe, though, going 10-for-10 from that distance. No other Fredonia State player registered more than eight points.

Once again, the Cardinals displayed their dominance on the glass, yanking down 48 rebounds compared to just 34 by the Blue Devils. In addition to their prolific rebounding ways, the Cardinals were extremely efficient on the offensive end of the floor, making good on 31 of their 64 field goal attempts (48.4 percent) while limiting the Blue Devils to a 26.3 percent (15-of-57) mark from the field through the tilt.

The Cardinals also outperformed the Blue Devils in assists, amassing 18 compared to just 10 by the visitors who also committed 26 turnovers.

Plattsburgh State will finish up its 2012 home slate on Saturday as they play their final SUNYAC game until 2013. Buffalo State will be the foil for the Cardinals, and the game is set to tip off at 2 p.m.