PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. –  A 20-plus point performance from senior forward Imani Walcott (Albany, N.Y. / Albany) led the Plattsburgh State women's basketball team to a dominant 59-39 non-conference win over Clarkson. Walcott finished with a game-high 24 points and a game-high seven rebounds to go with a game-high four steals and two blocks on the defensive end.

Desiree DuBois (Champlain, N.Y. / Northeastern Clinton Central) and Meredith Bush (Gouverneur, N.Y. / Gouverneur) turned in solid outings with seven points each, while Bush also contributed two assists and a steal. Sophomore guard Kayla Johannesen (Hyde Park, N.Y. / Our Lady of Lourdes) dished out five assists and grabbed five rebounds in the winning effort. Defensively, guards Tori Russo (Schenectady, N.Y. / Shaker) and Jaden Wilson (Johnstown, N.Y. / Johnstown) had active hands as both came away with two steals on the day.

For the Golden Knights, Fallon Griffin and Addie Kae both led their team with 13 points, while Fallon added five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, and Kae six rebounds and two assists.

Overall, for the game, Plattsburgh State shot a solid 36.2% from the field compared to Clarkson's 26.5% from the field. The Cardinals owned a 46-38 advantage in rebounds, netting 18 second-chance points, while Clarkson only had two. The Cardinals dominated points off turnovers (17-6), forcing 23 Clarkson turnovers.

Clarkson held an early 7-0 lead before an 11-0 tear from Plattsburgh, led by Walcott with six points, gave the Cardinals an 11-7 lead with 1:32 remaining. The Golden Knights responded with a layup plus the foul, followed by a layup from Walcott that made the score 13-10 Cardinals at the end of the first quarter.  

Another big run by Plattsburgh, capped off by a three-pointer from Bush, pushed the Cardinals' lead to double digits and made the score 24-10 at the 5:24 mark. Clarkson ended the run with a free throw but couldn't get any momentum as Plattsburgh went into halftime with a 34-18 lead.

DuBois opened the scoring in the third quarter, followed by a layup from Walcott that made the score 38-18. Plattsburgh remained in control, and a layup from Johannesen made the score 49-23, giving the Cardinals their largest lead of the game after three quarters of play.

Clarkson got on the board first in the fourth quarter and found its footing midway through the period as a 7-0 surge made the score 56-36. The run proved too little, too late, as the game was already out of reach, and Plattsburgh went on to secure a 59-39 victory

With the win, Plattsburgh State extends its winning streak to three and rises to 7-2 overall and will be back in action next Friday, Jan. 9, at Canton for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.