PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's basketball team finished their weekend 2-0 after a big win over Utica in the finale of the Holiday Inn Express Cardinal Classic, winning 67-40. The Cardinals had a balanced offense with three players in double figures led by sophomore guard Julia Greek (Long Island, N.Y. / Ward Melville) with 13 points that led all scorers to go along with three assists and two rebounds.

Payton Couture (Redford, N.Y. / Saranac) and Imani Walcott (Albany, N.Y. / Albany) both contributed 12 points while Walcott grabbed nine rebounds and Couture eight. Selma Deisz (Bekkestua, Norway / Nadderud VGS) and Jaden Wilson (Johnstown, N.Y. / Johnstown) both added eight points while Deisz also tallied five rebounds and four assists. First-years Kaelyn Morgan (Chateaugay, N.Y. / Chateaugay Central) and Tori Russo (Schenectady, N.Y. / Shaker) both scored their first collegiate points with Morgan going 1 of 2 from the free throw line while also grabbing a career-high six rebounds and Russo 3 of 4 from the line. First-year Kayla Johannesen (Hyde Park, N.Y. / Our Lady of Lourdes) had a solid showing on the boards for the Cardinals picking up four rebounds.

For the Pioneers, Vanessa Hall led the team in points with 10 followed by McKenzie Simmons with nine points. Hayleigh Lagase led the team in rebounds with eight.

The Cardinals had a great shooting night going 12 of 24 from the three-point line shooting 50.0% and shooting 43.9% from the field while the Pioneers only shot 19.0% from three and 19.7% from the field. The Cardinals had a slight advantage in rebounds 42-38. Both teams had double digits turnovers while the Cardinals got 12 points off turnovers and the Pioneers 10.

Plattsburgh State rises to 2-1 with the win and next hosts St. Lawrence on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. Utica falls to 0-3 and next travels to Westfield State University on Friday, Nov. 22 with a start time of 5:30 p.m.

The Cardinals started the first quarter with three made three-pointers in a row with two coming from Couture and one from Wilson to open up a 9-0 lead at the 7:12 mark. Emma Simmons and Greek traded threes back and forth twice and made the score 15-6 Cardinals at the 5:15 mark. That three from Greek sparked a Plattsburgh 10-0 run that ended the first quarter and made the score 22-6 Cardinals after one.

M. Simmons opened the scoring in the second quarter with two made free throws followed by a three from Lauren LaFountain (Saratoga Springs, N.Y. / Saratoga Springs) that made the score 25-8 Cardinals. Back-to-back layups from Wilson and Couture extended the Cardinals' lead to 19 at the 4:56 mark. Another three from LaFountain and a layup from Walcott ended the second as the Cardinals went into halftime up 37-13.

After Utica opened the third with two made free throws, the Cardinals went on an 11-0 tear and made the score 48-15 at the 6:17 mark. The Pioneers responded with an 8-0 burst that made the score 55-28 before Greek splashed a three at the buzzer and made the score 58-28 Cardinals at the end of the third quarter.

After trading baskets at the start of the fourth quarter, the Cardinals led 62-30 at the 8:27 mark. Four straight points from the Pioneers made the score 62-34 Cardinals at the 5:54 mark as the Cardinals went on to win 67-40.