The SUNY Oneonta women's basketball team saw a three-point lead midway through the fourth quarter evaporate, as the visiting Buffalo State Bengals closed on a 14-5 run to steal a road victory today 56-51.
 
Buffalo State's Liv Lebaron scored five points to lead the final run including a three-pointer to give the Bengals the lead for good.  Lay Knight, who spent most of the game in foul trouble, iced the game with a pair of free throws with 14 seconds remaining.
 
Oneonta (11-6, 6-4 SUNYAC) had a couple of looks at threes in the final minute, but saw the ball come off the rim.  Junior Madeline Frank (Syracuse/Jamesville-Dewitt) led the Red Dragons today with 11 points and a game high 10 rebounds.
 
Sophomore Shelby Benjamin (Norwich/Norwich) and freshman Maya Bernsley (Monroe/Monroe Woodbury) led the Oneonta reserves combining for 15 points.  The Red Dragons' bench outscored the Bengals' reserves 15-13 in the game.
 
Buffalo State (8-9, 5-6 SUNYAC) started the game hitting five of its first seven shots from the floor to grab an early 10-3 lead.  Oneonta settled in and outscored the Bengals 9-2 over the final 6:29 to tie the score at 12 apiece heading into the second quarter.
 
The Red Dragons found themselves behind 20-16 with just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter before scoring nine unanswered to take a 25-20 lead into halftime.
 
The lead exchanged a couple of times in the third quarter with Buffalo State taking a four-point lead on a Grace Licata three-pointer at the 4:03 mark.  Once again, Oneonta closed the quarter strong with an 11-5 burst to grab the lead back at 41-39 entering the final quarter of play.  Benjamin contributed four points to the total.
 
The Red Dragons' next game is next Friday night at home when they host SUNY Potsdam beginning at 5:30pm.