NEW YORK – For the first 20 minutes of its season, the Plattsburgh State women's basketball team looked like a squad that was still trying to figure out how to put the pieces together. Then the second half rolled around and, well, those pieces seemed to assemble themselves almost effortlessly. 

Senior captain Brittany Marshall and newly-acquired junior Allie Taylor each contributed game-highs of 16 points while senior Misha Green added a well-rounded outing of nine points, nine rebounds, four steals, two assists and one of the Cardinals' eight blocked shots as Plattsburgh State outclassed Juniata 76-66 in the second game of the NYU Tip-Off Tournament at the Coles Sports Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Cardinals went 25-of-59 (42.4 percent) from the field while limiting the Eagles to a shooting clip of 31.6 percent (25-of-79). Another important piece of the Cardinals' winning equation was success at the free throw line as they went 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) from that particular distance. Additionally, Plattsburgh State held a 51-41 rebounding edge, but had to survive 30 turnovers. 

Sharpness and offensive execution were not allies of the Cardinals through their first five minutes of the 2014-15 season. Aside from a Misha Green layup with 45 seconds elapsed in the non-conference tussle, Plattsburgh State recorded no points and coughed the ball up nine times.

Compounding the difficulties were an 0-for-3 mark from the field after Green's close-range hit and 10 points from four separate Juniata players.

Beginning the comeback process for Plattsburgh State was sophomore three-point specialist Jax Miller who rattled home a pair of free throws. Miller's charity stripe swishes kicked off an 8-0 surge for Plattsburgh State which culminated with a fast-break layup from junior speedster Allie Taylor.

The game didn't stay knotted at 10 points apiece very long, though, as the Eagles regained the lead by employing another 10-2 scoring surge over a period of nearly four minutes in the opening stanza.

Liz Wortman began the Juniata surge with a long-range hit, and the only points Plattsburgh State could muster in that span were a pair off of another Taylor layup with 9:34 to go in the frame.

Swapped baskets by Taylor and Juniata's Natialie Hager still left the scoreboard displaying an eight-point Eagle advantage (22-14) with just over seven minutes to go in the frame. Needing a swift rebuke in order to get back in the game, Plattsburgh State turned to one of its seniors to lead a substantial charge.

Checking in off the bench, final-year player Ayo Adedapo provided the sizable spark the Cardinals required, sinking her first long ball of the season with 6:51 to go. The Staten Island, N.Y., product's swish from downtown was the first salvo in 14-2 offensive barrage.

Adedapo was the individual who cut the Eagles the deepest during the Cardinals' game-changing surge. A pair of free throws and her second long-range bucket of the afternoon bookended yet another Taylor layup and a pair of free throws from Brittany Marshall to put Plattsburgh State up 26-24 with 4:49 to go in the opening half.

With its offense clicking, Plattsburgh State's defense held up its end of the bargain during the run, forcing Juniata to connect on just two of its nine field goal attempts while forcing a pair of turnovers during a span of just 2:14.

Pressing down on the gas pedal with even greater force, the Cardinals opened up an eight-point lead – its largest of the game – with 1:38 remaining in the first half. Juniata pushed back for the final time by netting the final five points of the first half on a Danielle Atkinson jumper and a Rachel Anstine long ball.

Holding on to a 36-33 lead, the Cardinals caught their collective breath and calmed down during the halftime strategy session. Upon returning to the court, Plattsburgh State didn't give the Eagles a ghost of a chance at regaining the lead.

Things finally started to click for the new-look Cardinals as they unleashed their knockout punch in the form of a merciless 22-3 offensive assault during the opening 7:09 of the deciding 20-minute period.

Plattsburgh State's defense put a stranglehold on the Eagles as it allowed Juniata to fire field goals at an abysmal clip of 1-for-18. The Cardinals also forced six of the Eagles' 22 turnovers during that span.

Six Plattsburgh State players poured in points during the sizable run, but 6-foot junior Devona Paul captained the Cardinals' wrecking crew by registering eight of her 12 total points.

With matters well in hand, the Cardinals only let their lead dip below 16 points in the final three minutes of the game. Juniata trimmed the Plattsburgh State edge to just eight, 74-66, by using a Hager trifecta with 13 ticks remaining, but it was too little and far too late for the Eagles.

Hager scored a team-high 15 points for the Eagles while Kelsey Lovolti chipped in 14. 

With their first win of the 2014-15 campaign in the books, the Cardinals will now turn their attention to a far more fearsome opponent. Plattsburgh State is due to lock horns with No. 17/16-nationally ranked New York University in the championship game of the NYU Tip-Off Tournament. The battle of 1-0 teams will tip off at 2 p.m. on Sunday.