PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's basketball team earned its second straight State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) win, defeating Buffalo State 66-56 on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Hall. Sophomore forward Kaelyn Morgan (Chateaugay, N.Y. / Chateaugay Central) paced the Cardinals with a career-high and game-high 16 points and added three rebounds and an assist as well.

Sophomore forward Desiree DuBois (Champlain, N.Y. / Northeastern Clinton Central) reached double figures as well, netting 11 points with four rebounds, a block, and an assist. Imani Walcott (Albany, N.Y. / Albany) had a solid outing with nine points, a team-high seven rebounds, and a block, while Julia Greek (Long Island, N.Y. / Ward Melville) and Kathy Peterson-Ross (Lake Forest, Ill. / Lake Forest) both finished with seven points.

For the Bengals, Morgan Popp led the way with 13 points and three rebounds. Mya Brown and Amaya Moore added 12 and 10 points, respectively, as Brown led all players with a game-high eight rebounds and a game-high five steals.

Overall, for the game, Plattsburgh State shot 37.1% from the floor and 33.3% from behind the arc, while Buffalo State shot 34.2% from the field and 20.0% from the three-point line. The Cardinals dominated the boards (56-37) and had the advantage in second-chance points (15-8). Both teams finished with 13 points off turnovers.

Although the Bengals jumped out to a 4-0 lead early, the Cardinals got back in the game after a Morgan layup, plus the free throw made the score 8-7 Bengals at the 5:46 mark. The Cardinals eventually tied the game at 12 and later closed out the quarter on a 7-0 surge to take a 19-17 lead into the second quarter.

The Bengals scored a quick six points to open the second before a three-pointer from Jaden Wilson (Johnstown, N.Y. / Johnstown) made the score 23-22 Bengals with 7:31 remaining. A run midway through the quarter gave Plattsburgh a 31-27 lead and a 10-0 tear to close the quarter, capped off by a Selma Deisz (Bekkestua, Norway / Nadderud VGS) three-pointer that made the score 41-29 at halftime.

The third quarter saw the Bengals trim Plattsburgh's lead to three points until the Cardinals responded with back-to-back baskets, pushing their lead to 45-38 at the 6:36 mark. After a jumper from the Bengals, a 4-0 burst courtesy of Walcott made the score 52-44 after three quarters of play.

Walcott opened the scoring in the fourth, snapping a 3:29 scoreless stretch and putting the Cardinals ahead 54-44. At 2:38, the Cardinals took their largest lead of the game when Morgan scored on a layup to make it 66-52, as Plattsburgh went on to win 66-56.

With the win, Plattsburgh State rises to 6-2 (2-0 SUNYAC) and will be back in action in the new year, when the team hosts Clarkson on Friday, Jan. 2, for a 2 p.m. tip-off. Buffalo State drops to 0-7 (0-2 SUNYAC) and next hosts Hilbert College on Wednesday, Dec. 10.