BUFFALO, N.Y. – After leading by double-digits after three-quarters of play, the Plattsburgh State women's basketball team held on for a 66-60 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) win over Buffalo State. Senior guard/forward Payton Couture (Redford, N.Y. / Saranac) led all players in points with 24 to go with seven assists, four rebounds, and three steals.

Imani Walcott (Albany, N.Y. / Albany) and Julia Greek (Long Island, N.Y. / Ward Melville) each had 13 points on the day. Walcott led the team in rebounding with nine and had three blocks, three steals, and two assists while Greek had four assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Selma Deisz (Bekkestua, Norway / Nadderud VGS) and Jaden Wilson (Johnstown, N.Y. / Johnstown) contributed to the win with 10 and six points respectively while both recorded two rebounds each.

For the Bengals, the team had four scorers in double figures led by Ashley Tucker with 15 points and Adiya Jones and Maddy Stearns with 12 each. Mya Brown led all players in rebounding with 14 to go with her 10 points.

Both teams were solid from the field, nearly shooting identical percentages as the Cardinals shot a solid 37.3% from the field and the Bengals 37.9% from the field. The difference came from the three-point line where the Cardinals made 11 of 27 at 40.7% while the Bengals only made 4 of 16 at 25.0%. The Bengals had a slight edge in rebounding 38-36 and recorded 11 second-chance points while the Cardinals had eight second-chance points. Both teams took advantage of turnovers with the Cardinals registering 16 points off turnovers and the Bengals 12.

Plattsburgh State rises to 7-4 (3-1 SUNYAC) with the win and next travels to Potsdam on Tuesday, Jan. 14 with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off. Buffalo State falls to 4-8 (1-4 SUNYAC) with the loss and next hosts Cortland on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 4 p.m.

After Jones opened the scoring in the first quarter, play went back and forth between the two teams before back-to-back three-pointers from Greek and Deisz opened a 15-7 Plattsburgh lead at the 3:48 mark. The Bengals responded with a 9-0 run and took a 16-15 lead, however, Greek knocked down another three-pointer and made the score 18-16 Cardinals after one.

In the second quarter the game remained close as the Bengals tied the game multiple times before an 8-0 burst with contributions from Walcott, Couture, and Greek gave the Cardinals a 30-22 cushion at the 2:22 mark. The Bengals ended the run with back-to-back baskets followed by free throws from Walcott and Chyann Kelly that made the score 32-27 Cardinals at halftime.

The Plattsburgh offense started early in the third as a three-pointer from Greek and a layup from Walcott pushed the Cardinals' lead to 37-29 at the 8:42 mark. Midway through the quarter, the Cardinals went on a 9-0 run courtesy of Couture and took their largest lead of the game at 15 as the score stood 50-35 at the 2:52 mark. The Bengals ended the third quarter with four straight points and made the score 50-39 after three-quarters of play.

Three points from the Bengals to start the fourth quarter cut the Cardinals' lead to single digits but Couture responded with a three-pointer and pushed the Cardinals' lead to 53-42 at the 8:29 mark. A 9-0 Buffalo run brought the Bengals within two, however, the Cardinals responded with a 7-0 run and made the score 60-51 at the 2:51 mark. A late 4-0 push by the Bengals cut Plattsburgh's lead to five but the Cardinals responded with a 4-0 burst of their own ultimately winning 66-60.