| Box Score 2 BUFFALO, NY—Buffalo State (2-0) jumped out to a 24-6 lead and raced past Hilbert (0-2), 72-34, this evening in the opening round of the 23rd annual Betty Abgott Invitational.  Alfred (2-0) defeated Hamilton (0-1), 58-50, in the tourney's first game.

Staci McElroy (Saratoga Springs/Saratoga Springs) led Buffalo State with 13 points, and Barb Kiliszek (Depew/Lancaster) added 12 points and six steals.  Freshman Olivia Luciani (Syracuse/East Syracuse Minoa) added 11 points off the bench, and Bianca Smiley (Amherst/Sweet Home) chipped in six points and a game-high 11 rebounds.  Tiana Cheasman (N. Cohocton/Wayland-Cohocton) paced Hilbert with 14 points.

After Hilbert took an early 4-0 lead, Buffalo State sped away with a 24-2 run and never looked back.  The Bengals held a 39-17 advantage at halftime and had its largest lead reach 41 points in the second half.  The Bengals forced 32 Hilbert turnovers, while committing 17.  Buffalo State shot 41-percent from the field, and 45-percent from 3-point range, connecting on 9 of 20 from beyond the arc.  Hilbert shot just 26-percent from the floor.

In the opening game, Grace Williamson (Olean/Olean) led Alfred with 24 points and 10 rebounds.  Harley Cleary (Rochester/Our Lady of Mercy) added 21 points and six boards, and Kacey Kwiecien (Perry/Perry) had a game-best eight assists.  Madie Harlem (Oneonta/Oneonta) paced Hamilton with 26 points,12 rebounds and four steals.  Kim Goidell (Centerport/Harborfields) added seven points, 11 rebounds and three assists.

Alfred never trailed and jumped out to a 24-9 lead, before Hamilton cut the deficit to 31-25 at the intermission. The Continentals could not close the gap to less than five in the second half, as Alfred led by as many as 18 before hanging on for the eight-point win. 

The Saxons outscored Hamilton 28-10 in the paint despite being outrebounded 52-36.  Alfred shot 43-percent from the field, compared to just 24-percent shooting by the Continentals.

Buffalo State will face Alfred in the championship game tomorrow at 2 p.m.  Hamilton and Hilbert will square off in the consolation contest at noon.