Despite trailing at multiple points of the contest, the St. Lawrence University women's basketball team battled back to force extra time and ultimately secured an overtime victory over the SUNY Potsdam Bears by a score of 60-55 Tuesday evening in Canton, N.Y.
The last matchup between the Saints and Potsdam ended in heartbreak with a narrow 65-64 loss, but this time the Saints were able to stretch the game into overtime and win it, improving to 2-0 in non-conference play on the season.
Elizabeth Flynn was a big reason for that -- she had a season-high 24 points and 15 rebounds in the contest, for her second straight double double.
"It was an exciting win tonight for us in Burkman Gymnasium," said head coach
Dan Roiger. "We had every reason to fold out there and we kept digging in and digging in until we found our footing in the overtime. We were outplayed in terms of effort and desire for much of the game, but in overtime, we outworked them. We did a nice job defensively in overtime and cleaned up on the boards after letting opportunities slip in the last few minutes of regulation."
"I have high expectations of this group but we need to remember that the group is still gaining experience. This was a game we would have lost last year, so we are making progress. Average teams take advantage of opportunities, but good teams need to make their opportunities and then take advantage of them. We want to play hard when we see opportunities; instead we need to learn to play hard on both ends of the court to make those opportunities. It's a process, and we need to meet ourselves where we are and then build from there."
The Saints began the game leading by as many as eight points in the first quarter, with
Norah Niesz hitting a three-ball at the five-minute mark of the first quarter to make it 14-6. Potsdam slowly chipped away at the lead and ultimately made it a one-point game until the final possession of the quarter. There, Barbara Bruno drove in with a layup scored to give Potsdam a 20-19 lead.
The Bears held onto that lead through the remainder of the half, stretching it up to a seven-point lead on two separate occasions in the second quarter's final four minutes. However, the Saints answered swiftly, with
Jackie Malley hitting back-to-back three-pointers in the quarter's final two minutes to make it a one-point game, but the Bears responded with a layup for two right before the half to make the score 33-30.
The second half saw the teams continue to trade offensive punches, with neither team finding a breakthrough. They went into overtime tied 51-51, before Malley and Flynn posted back-to-back baskets to pull St. Lawrence away by four points. Flynn also added three points via free throws after drawing fouls late in the contest.
Nineteen of Flynn's 24 points came in the second half and overtime, and she also had 14 of her 15 rebounds in the second half of the contest. Malley went 3-9 from the arc and posted 13 points in the contest. Mason Baker Schlendering joined Flynn in the double digits for rebounds, adding 10 boards.
The Saints will have their next contest against another North Country opponent, as they host Clarkson in a conference game Saturday, November 16. That game's opening tip is set for 2 p.m.
