POTSDAM, N.Y.— Potsdam fought off a six-point, fourth quarter deficit, as the Buffalo State women's basketball team saw its three game win streak come to an end in the final game of the week, a 58-55 loss to the Bears in SUNYAC action Sunday afternoon.
 
GAME BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Potsdam –58, Buffalo State – 55
LOCATION:  Maxcy Hall – Potsdam, N.Y.
RECORDS:  Buffalo State (8-7, 5-4 SUNYAC), Potsdam (9-6, 4-5)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Katie Villarini (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg) paced the offense once again, as the SUNYAC's leading scorer finished with 23 points, adding six rebounds and three steals.
• Tashawni Cornfield (Gowanda, NY/Putham) added nine points and led the defense with five steals and five rebounds.
• Heaven Rollek (Springville, NY/Springville-Griffith) was busy on the defensive end with a season-high nine rebounds and three steals.
• The Bengals shot 30.4 percent (21-of-69) from the field and out-rebounded the Red Dragons by a 49-44 margin, but finished 1-of-17 from beyond the arc.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• It was a back-and-forth opening quarter, as the Bengals led 15-12 after one.
• The Bengals took a six-point lead, before a Jakia Howard three-point play and a Madison McCormick 3-pointer tied the game at 20.
• Rollek and Villarini combined to push the Bengals back ahead, as the seniors combined for a 6-0 run.
• McCormick finished the quarter with a layup, as Potsdam trailed 29-25 at the half.
• Potsdam tied the game at 31 in the early stages of the third, but the Bengals finished the quarter with an 8-1 run, as Cornfield's steal in Potsdam's backcourt and the resulting layup gave Buffalo State a 44-36 lead.
• Potsdam came out firing, opening the quarter with a 9-0 run to take a one-point lead.
• Buffalo State's defense once again went to work, as backcourt steals led to an 8-0 run as the visitors led 54-49 with 3:11 to go.
• Howard then converted a tough layup with 1:03 left to bring the deficit to one, then stole the ball from Villarini, leading to a pair of Alyson Crosby free throws to give Potsdam a 56-55 lead.
• Down three with nine seconds left, Grace Carey (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) shot a 3-pointer for the tie, but missed, and Rollek's put-back missed as well as the buzzer sounded.

FOR THE FOES

• McCormick led the Bears with 19 points and five rebounds, while Howard added 13 points and eight rebounds.
• The Bears shot 32.1 percent (18-of-56) from the field.

 
UP NEXT
The Bengals will return to action next Friday, as they resume the Battle By the Lake rivalry series with Fredonia, beginning at 5:30 p.m.