Box Score BUFFALO – Despite trailing at one point in the second half by 18 points, the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team battled back and came up just short at Buffalo State on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Bengals 69-68 in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action at Buffalo State Sports Arena.
Down by 18 points (49-31) with 14 minutes to play, the Hawks would not let up and trimmed the deficit down to just eight (49-41) thanks to a 10-0 run, highlighted by seven points from junior guard
Christine Rivera (Long Beach, N.Y./Valley Stream), including a pair of three-pointers.
Buffalo State increased its lead to 11 (52-41) but New Paltz answered right back with a three by senior guard
Shannan Walker (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) to get within eight (52-44) with 11 minutes to play. Following a pair of made free throws by the Bengals, Rivera continued her hot shooting, hitting another three to bring New Paltz within six (57-51). A fastbreak layup by junior guard
Goldie Harrison (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) brought the Hawks even closer (57-53) with a little less than 8:30 on the clock.
New Paltz kept chipping away as sophomore guard/forward
Kit Small (Slingerlands, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) and Harrison both made a pair of free throws to trim the deficit to just two (61-59). Once more, Rivera sunk a three and Small hit a foul shot to knot the game at 63 with 2:57 in regulation. The Hawks then earned their first lead since early in the first half when Harrison successfully converted both of her foul shots with 2:33 to play.
However, Buffalo State regained the lead (66-65) after a couple of free throws by senior forward Ashley Wallace with 1:37 to go. Following a full timeout by the Hawks, junior guard/forward
Colleen Ames (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) knocked down a three with 27 seconds left as New Paltz looked to complete the furious comeback, up 68-67.
After a timeout by Buffalo State, the Bengals missed a layup but grabbed the offensive board and made a bucket with eight ticks left in the game to take a 69-68 lead. On the ensuing possession, the Hawks looked to win the game at the buzzer but the shot fell short.
With the defeat, New Paltz falls to 9-6, 5-3 SUNYAC and will look to enjoy its five-game homestand starting on Friday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. against Oswego. Buffalo State moves to 9-8, 6-4 SUNYAC and plays at Plattsburgh on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Four players finished in double-figures for New Paltz as Small tallied a game-high 20 points behind a 9-of-11 free throw performance. Small also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out two assists. Rivera tallied 14 points off the bench behind four three-pointers, all in the second half.
Harrison tallied 10 points, three assists, three boards and two steals while sophomore forward
Courtney Irby (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) recorded 10 points and four rebounds. For the second-straight game, freshman guard/forward
Laura Stuart (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue) pulled in a team-best nine rebounds.
New Paltz forced 26 Buffalo State turnovers and limited Wallace, who has been named the SUNYAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week twice this season, to just six points.
