NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The No. 3 seed State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team is prepared for the 2015 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Women's Basketball Championship weekend, starting with No. 2 SUNY Cortland in the Semifinals on Friday, Feb. 27 at 5:30 p.m. at Schrader Gym on the campus of SUNY Geneseo.
RECORDS: The Hawks are 18-8… No. 2 Cortland is 20-5… Host and No. 1 Geneseo is 21-4… No. 4 Oneonta is 16-10.
SCOUTING THE HAWKS (18-8): On Tuesday night, the Hawks knocked out No. 6 Buffalo State with a 79-58 win in the SUNYAC Quarterfinals at the Hawk Center… Sophomore forward
Courtney Irby had a game-high 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while pulling down seven boards, swatting two shots and recording two steals... Sophomore guard/forward
Kit Small tallied 14 points, a team-best nine rebounds and four assists… Junior guard
Goldie Harrison also scored 14 points and notched six rebounds and three steals... Junior guard/forward
Colleen Ames knocked in 10 points off the bench, behind a pair of three-pointers… Senior guard
Shannan Walker is fourth in the SUNYAC in three-point percentage (33.1 percent) and fifth in three-pointers made (2.0 per game)… This season, New Paltz went 1-1 against Cortland and Geneseo, falling against the Red Dragons on the road (L, 58-49) but defeating them at the Hawk Center, 75-65… Against the Knights, the Hawks faced a similar fate while facing Geneseo on the road (L, 74-61), but defeated them at home, 57-47… The Hawks swept the Oneonta Red Dragons with a 64-53 win on the road and a 59-54 win at home.
SCOUTING CORTLAND (20-5): The Red Dragons earned the first round bye and have won seven of eight games… Junior forward Brittney Dumas leads the league in scoring with 17.9 ppg… Dumas ranks second in the SUNYAC with 9.0 rpg… Senior guard and co-captain Lindsey Minor ranks second in the conference in steals (2.0 spg)… Cortland went 1-1 against New Paltz, falling to the Hawks on the road 75-65 but defeated them in Corey Gym, 58-49… The Red Dragons swept Oneonta with a 59-57 overtime win on the road and a 64-56 win at home… Cortland did not come out on top either time they faced the Geneseo knights, they dropped the game on the road and lost in overtime 64-68 at home in the Corey Gym.
LAST MEETING: The Hawks defeated Cortland 75-65 when these two teams last met on Jan. 31, 2015.
SCOUTING GENESEO (21-4): The Knights are on a 15-game winning streak and have won 18 of their past 19 contests… Senior forward Shannon McGinnis leads the SUNYAC in rebounding (11.2 rpg) and is third in the league in scoring (14.9 ppg)… Junior forward Allison McKenna leads the league in free throw percentage (83.3 percent)… Geneseo went 1-1 against New Paltz, falling to the Hawks 57-47 on the road but defeating them at home 74-61… The Knights swept Cortland and Oneonta when they faced each other this season… At home, the Knights beat Cortland 50-41 and triumphed over Oneonta 65-52… On the road, Geneseo beat Cortland in overtime 68-64, and surpassed Oneonta 51-47.
LAST MEETING: New Paltz fell at Geneseo 74-61 when these two teams last met on Feb. 13, 2015.
SCOUTING ONEONTA (16-10): Oneonta was swept by New Paltz, falling on the road 59-54 and at home, 64-53… Both Cortland and Geneseo swept the Red Dragons… Junior guard Caysea Cohen leads the SUNYAC in three-point percentage (38.3 percent)… Cohen is tied for third in the league in three-pointers made (2.1 per game)… Senior center Sarah Longto leads the SUNYAC in blocked shots (2.4 per game)… Cohen ranks seventh in the league in scoring (14.1 ppg).
LAST MEETING: The Hawks held off Oneonta 59-54 when these two teams last met on Feb. 3, 2015.
WHAT'S NEXT: The winner of Saturday's SUNYAC Championship will earn the automatic bid into the 2015 NCAA Division-III Women's Basketball Tournament, which runs from March 6-21.
