PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.—Plattsburgh State's (8-15, 6-10 SUNYAC) late push helped it to a 56-52 win against the SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (1-21, 0-16 SUNYAC) on Friday evening. Junior guard Riley Luckie (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Jefferson C.C.) went 5-for-8 from beyond the arc in her 23-point outing. Bella DePasquale led the Cardinals with 21 points, going 7-for-13 from long range.

Plattsburgh started things quickly and took an early lead with a layup from Mary McKenna five seconds into the game. Their success was short as that was the only field goal the Cardinals made during the quarter. The Bears took full control of the remaining of the quarter, outscoring the Cardinals 13-2. Luckie scored the first seven points for Potsdam, while sophomore guard Drew Dufrane (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool), freshman forward Nicole Hansen (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley), and junior guard Abbey Smith (Bainbridge, N.Y./Bainbridge-Guilford) got a bucket each.

The Bears kept things rolling with a 9-5 run through the first seven minutes of the second quarter. Luckie was the leading score during the stretch with five points and Hanna Whitney and Taylor Durnin scored two each for Plattsburgh. The Cardinals ended the half scoring five of the final seven points and entered halftime down 24-14.

Luckie stayed on a hot streak making two consecutive three-pointers to start the second half, and to extend the lead to 16 for Potsdam. Plattsburgh was able to turn the game around by ending the third on a 19-2 rally, and a 33-32 lead. The Cardinals had six different scorers, with Bella DePasquale leading with six points and Taylor Clare right behind with five. Senior forward Keme Fofana (Bronx, N.Y./AECI Charter H.S.) got the only basket for the Bears with a put-back layup.

Potsdam continued to fight, but Plattsburgh kept the momentum with DePasquale hitting three consecutive shots from beyond-the-arc to extend the lead to six a couple minutes into the final quarter. After DePasquale's last three, the Bears went on a 12-6 run to retake the lead with 3:45 left in the game. Luckie and Dufrane each hit a three and junior guard Mikayla Horton (Hammond, N.Y./Hammond) had a pair of buckets during the push. Both teams kept it a one possession game until the Cardinals netted the final five points in 36 seconds to win the game 56-52.

Dufrane finished the night with 10 points and three assists, while freshman center Naya Walters (Bronx, N.Y./Women's Academy of Excellence) had five points and the team-high nine rebounds.

Clare had 10 points along with seven rebounds and seven blocks. McKenna was the other double-digit scorer with 10 points, while also grabbing six boards.

Potsdam shot 36.7 percent from the field while Plattsburgh shot 28.6 percent. The Cardinals had the rebounding advantage of44-41 over the Bears.

The Bears return to action next Friday when they host New Paltz in Jerry Welsh Gymnasium at 5:30 p.m.