Box Score PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

That famous literary axiom could certainly sum up the tale of two halves for the Plattsburgh State women’s basketball team in its 59-44 setback to Williams on Tuesday night in Memorial Hall.

After blistering the nets on 15-of-30 shooting in the opening stanza, the Cardinals offense came to a screeching halt in the final 20 minutes thanks to a 3-of-26 (11.5 percent) mark from the field. Plattsburgh State was outscored 40-11 in the deciding frame and let their record drop to 8-5 while the Ephs improved to 13-2.

If the first half was any indication, the Cardinals looked like they were going to run the Ephs out of the gym despite the superior size of the visiting team. Plattsburgh State opened the game on a 9-2 run thanks to a pair of jump shots by junior Tequilla Lloyd and a three-pointer from Brittany Marshall.

Marshall found Yazmin Lewis on a two-on-one fast break to account for the other pair of points in the beginning surge for the home squad. The Cardinals didn’t allow the Ephs to connect on a field goal until Katie Litman rattled home a layup with 14:16 remaining in the first half.

After Williams pulled to within four points on a triple by Grace Rehnquist with 12:27 to go in the opening 20 minutes, Kathleen Payne came off the bench and wrestled the momentum away from the visitors.

The reigning SUNYAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week scored five consecutive points to kick start an 11-2 run that culminated with a fast break score from Lloyd that made things 22-9 Cardinals 11:30 into the tilt.

An acrobatic layup by Devona Paul gave Plattsburgh State its largest lead of the game, 32-15, with 1:34 showing on the first half clock. Although Rehnquist provided a pair of scores before the half for Williams, the Cardinals took a 33-19 lead into their locker room.

Williams floundered through the first half, hitting just seven of their 39 field goal attempts (17.9 percent) including a 1-of-12 mark (8.3 percent) from beyond the arc. Claire Baecher was 0-for-11 from the field in the opening 20 minutes, but the Ephs scared up 27 rebounds – 15 of the offensive variety – in the stanza.

Flexing the muscles of their imposing interior stars in the second half, the Ephs opened the frame on a 22-4 run and never looked back. In the first 15:04 of the half, the Cardinals sunk just one field goal attempt and had no answer for the inspired rebounding game of the Ephs.

Ellen Cook led the charge for Williams, scoring 12 of the first 15 points in the devastating run by the visiting squad that began the second half. Plattsburgh State coughed up the ball 13 times – seven more times than they had in the opening 20 minutes action. Those turnovers led to 13 points for the Ephs in the second half.

Cook scored a game-high 15 points for Williams, while Baecher added 14 markers and a game-high 13 rebounds. Danny Rainer had the best all-around game for Williams, scoring 14 and obtaining 12 rebounds to go along with three steals, three blocked shots and a pair of assists.

Payne put in a team-high 13 points for Plattsburgh State while Lloyd chipped in 11. Marshall grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and scored six points, but shot just 2-of-14 from the field and dished out two of six assists on the night for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals were out-rebounded 55-42 and turned the ball over 19 times. In the game, the Cardinals were 18-of-56 (32.1 percent) from the field and just 1-of-12 (8.3 percent) from three-point range.

Free throw shooting was also a struggle for the Cardinals as they connected on just 7-of-13 (53.8 percent) attempts from that distance.

With their regular season non-conference schedule in the books, the Cardinals remain at Memorial Hall this weekend for SUNYAC play. First up is a date with league-leading and undefeated New Paltz, with the opening tip scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. on Friday.