A bye into the SUNYAC tournament semifinals and home court advantage is what is at stake for the SUNY New Paltz women's basketball team as it begins its second to last weekend of the regular conference season.

Friday night the Hawks host the Lakers of Oswego State. The Lakers are coming off a 73-59 loss Tuesday night to Buffalo State, dropping their overall record to 4-16 and their SUNYAC record to 1-13. When the Hawks and Oswego first met in Oswego Jan. 29, SUNY New Paltz squeaked by with a 62-57 win. Oswego is averaging 56.7 points per game, while giving up 60 points per game against, and is even in rebound difference. In the series that began in 1990, the Lakers hold a 29-22 lead over the Hawks.

Senior guard Danielle Caivana (5'2, Frankfort, NY) has been the consistent leader of the Lakers, averaging 14.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game with 53 assists on the year. Against Buffalo State Tuesday, she dropped in 18 points, and against the Hawks she led the Lakers with 19 points. No other Laker are hitting in double figures, but three: first-year guard Shania Iglesias (5'6, Baldwin, NY) with 8.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, sophomore guard Chastin Giles (5'3, East Hampton, NY) with 7.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game; first year forward Diamond Pickett (5'9, Rochester, NY) with 7.5 points .and a team leading nine rebounds per game, have made contributions this season.

Saturday afternoon sees the top seeded Cortland Red Dragons matchup against the Hawks. Cortland, with a 17-2 overall record and undefeated at 13-0 in the SUNYAC, is an honorable mention WBCA ranked team, currently on a 16-game winning streak. Since their first meeting in 1986, the Red Dragons hold a commanding 52-16 lead in the all-time series against SUNY New Paltz and were 62-46 winners over the Hawks on Jan. 28. 

Cortland averages 67.4 points per game, while giving up a meager 52.6 points per game against. and has outrebounded its opponents 44.8-39.6 per game. The Red Dragons also average 10.4 steals per game. Six players lead a balanced attack for Cortland, each averaging from 7.6 points to 10.8 points per game. SUNYAC Player of the Week for Feb. 6, Shannon McGuire (5'6, West Babylon) averaged 17.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game in Cortland's last three victories, shooting 44 percent from 3-point range. Junior forwards Maggie Malone (5'9, Cornwall, NY) and Nyla Longford (5'10, Medford, NY) average 10.8 and 10.4 points per game, respectively, while sophomore forward Corinne Miedreich (5'8, Pearl River, NY) led all Red Dragon scorers with 16 points in the regular series opening win over the Hawks.

A game ahead of third place Buffalo State and Geneseo in the SUNYAC standings, SUNY New Paltz is currently 14-6 overall and 10-4 in the SUNYAC. Its road trip to Western New York last weekend resulted in a split decision. On Sunday, the Hawks were upset by homesteading Buffalo State, 64-61, but bounced back Monday to defeat Fredonia, 58-43. Having an outstanding weekend was sophomore guard/forward Brianna Fitzgerald (5'10, Dix Hills, NY). Against the Bengals, Fitzgerald scored 14 points with three rebounds and two assists. Monday afternoon, Fitzgerald scored a career-high 25 points with 11 rebounds and nine steals in the victory. Joining her with good individual efforts was junior guard Lexi Van Vorst (5'6, East Greenbush, NY) with 11 points against Buffalo State and six assists and six steals against Fredonia.

Junior guard Cassidy Deaver (5'9, Manalapan, NJ) contributed eight rebounds and two steals versus Buffalo State, while junior guard/forward Victoria Venus (6'1, Mineola, NY) scored a double-double against the Blue Devils, finishing with 11points and 10 rebounds.

SUNY New Paltz is set to host the Lakers Friday at 5:30 p.m. before tipping-off against the first-place Red Dragons Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Hawk Center.

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