Box Score Box Score

     SUNY Oneonta used a balanced attack to defeat Hartwick in collegiate women's basketball on Tuesday night at Lambros Arena. The Red Dragons even up its record at 3-3 with the win while earning its third straight win. The Hawks slip to 3-5 overall.
     Oneonta was led by junior Rebecca Bucci (Marlboro/Our Lady of Lourdes)'s 14 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Freshman Gabi Regan (Troy/Columbia) added 10 points and junior Mary-Kate O'Connell and sophomore Samantha Szkotak (New York Mills/New York Mills) each netted eight points apiece.
     The Hawks received a game-high 17 points from freshman Jalicia Connell (Westbury, NY/Hicksville). She also connected on four three-point field goals in the game. Senior Lauren Ploof (Hammond, NY/Hammond) contributed 11 points with classmate Heather Pruchansky (Naples, FL/Community School of Naples) adding 10.
     In a game that was close throughout with six lead changes and five ties, a 9-1 run over a six-minute span in the second half turned a one-point edge into a nine-point lead for the Red Dragons with five-and-a-half minutes to play. 
     The Hawks were able to cut the deficit to five points, 53-48, with 3:29 to play on a Connell layup, but on the next trip down the court, a big three-pointer by Bucci made it an eight-point contest.
     The lead swelled to 10 points with just over two minutes left before a Fritzi Flores (Bergenfield, NJ/Paramus Catholic) trey and a Ploof free throw shortly after closed the gap to six, 60-54, with 90 seconds remaining. O-State would seal it at the free-throw line hitting 9-of-10 down the stretch, including 6-for-6 from #Sara
Chrystie# to secure the victory.
     Hartwick, which led by as many as eight points in the first half of play, committed a season-low 13 turnovers but shot a season-low 27.4 % (17-of-62) in the game. The Red Dragons shot slightly better making 21-of-65 from the floor (32.3%) and they out-rebounded the Hawks by a 52-43 margin. Oneonta dominated
in the paint scoring 32 points to the Hawks' 12 down low.
     Hartwick closes out the fall semester on Friday evening at Cortland State. Game time is set for 6 p.m. The Red Dragons host Utica this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. before participating in the Salem State Tournament later in the month.