| Box Score 2 Consolation Game Box Score

BUFFALO, NY—Buffalo State (2-0) built and early lead and held on for a 69-63 victory over visiting Concordia-Moorhead (1-1) to capture the championship in today's Betty Abgott Invitational at the Sports Arena.  Penn State Harrisburg (1-1) defeated Houghton (0-2) in the consolation game, 68-49.

Tournament MVP Staci McElroy (Saratoga Springs/Saratoga Springs) led Buffalo State with 17 points and added six rebounds.  Ashley Wallace (Lockport/Starpoint) and Bianca Smiley (Amherst/Sweet Home) both tallied double-doubles with Wallace netting 13 points to go with 10 boards, and Smiley recording 11 points and 11 rebounds.  Olivia Luciani (Syracuse/E. Syracuse Minoa) chipped in 13 points.

Alexandra Lippert (Willmar, MN/Willmar) paced Concordia with 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks.  Greta Walsh (Litchfield,MD/Litchfield) netted 14 points, including 13 in the second half, and had five steals.  Erika Jossart (Bismarck, ND/Bismarck Century) chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds.

Buffalo State broke an early 12-12 tie with a 21-1 run and then led 35-16 at halftime, limiting Concordia to just 15-percent shooting from the field.  The Bengals pushed the lead to 25 at 54-29 with just over 12 minutes remaining, but the Cobbers mounted a furious comeback.  Concordia used a 17-1 run to cut the deficit to 62-61 with 1:52 remaining, but Luciani nailed a three on Buffalo State's next possession and the Bengals held on for the win.

In the consolation game, Kaitlyn Carmo (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) led Penn State with 14 points, and Kiara Carter (Bronx/Milton Hershey) had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Kristen Moose (Swain/Canaseraga) led Houghton with 19 points and 13 rebounds.  Hannah Manwaring (Barton/Tioga) added 13 points, and Marie Martuscello (Corning/Painted Post) had 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Penn State took a 13-2 lead over the first seven-plus minutes and brought a 37-24 advantage into the locker room at the break.  Houghton closed the deficit to 10 early in the second half, but would pull no closer.  Houghton outrebounded the Lions, 62-50, but shot just 22-percent from the field and 7-percent from 3-point range.  Penn State shot 39-percent from the field and outscored the Highlanders 21-3 from beyond the arc.

Tournament MVP: Staci McElroy (Buffalo State)
All-Tournament Team: Ashley Wallace (Buffalo State), Greta Walsh (Concordia), Alexandra Lippert (Concordia), Kiara Carter (Penn State), Kristen Moose (Houghton)