A Quick Look
Seniors Leanne Corso (Commack/Commack) and Shelby Benjamin (Norwich/Norwich) along with freshman Margaret Nardelli (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) combined to score 42 points off the bench today to lead the SUNY Oneonta women's basketball team to a 70-58 victory versus Plattsburgh to close out the regular season.  The win for Oneonta puts them at 12-13 overall and 9-9 in the SUNYAC where they have earned the No. 5 seed for the conference tournament, which begins Tuesday night.
 
The Inside Story
Corso led all scorers in the game with 19 points to go with nine boards.  Nardelli buried a collegiate career best five from behind the arc to finish with 15 points.  Benjamin was a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe and finished with eight points.
 
With 1:39 left in the game, Plattsburgh's Hanna Whitney made a three-pointer to pull the Cardinals to within five points at 63-58.  Corso then drilled a trey on the ensuing possession and then made a layup off an offensive rebound on the next possession to lock this one up with 43 seconds left on the clock.
 
The Red Dragons outscored Plattsburgh in every quarter today and trailed five times in the first quarter the last at 12-11 with just over three minutes to go.  A layup by junior Maya Bernsley (Monroe/Monroe Woodbury) started a closing 8-2 run to end the quarter and give Oneonta a 19-14 lead entering the second quarter.
 
The Red Dragons could not shake the Cardinals at all, as the game remained close throughout the second and third quarters.  Oneonta created a bit more space and carried a 35-28 lead into halftime.  Oneonta made four, three-pointers in the second quarter including a pair by Nardelli.
 
Plattsburgh pushed back early in the third quarter and cut its deficit to a basket at 37-35 in the first three minutes.  Nardelli buried her next two treys in the final minute of the quarter to give Oneonta a 53-42 lead heading into the final quarter.
 
Just the Stats
Oneonta held a decided advantage on the boards outrebounding Plattsburgh 43-28 including 15 offensive rebounds.  The Red Dragons assisted on 19 of 23 baskets and made 9-of-18 shots from behind the arc, which was a season best.
 
What's Next
The women will travel west to face Buffalo State in the opening round of the SUNYAC tournament this Tuesday night beginning at 7pm.  The winner will advance to the semifinals where their opponent will be the top-seeded New Paltz Hawks.  That game is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28 at 7:30pm at New Paltz.