Morrisville State women take it down to the wire, fall short in season opener, 88-85

Morrisville State women take it down to the wire, fall short in season opener, 88-85

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – Morrisville State women's basketball opened the 2018-19 season Thursday night with a non-conference battle against visiting Buffalo State College, and took it down to the wire after battling back from a 12-point first half deficit, but fell short at the buzzer as the Bengals collected the 88-85 victory on the Mustangs home court in Morrisville.

THE BASICS:

  • Final Score: Buffalo State 88, Morrisville State 85 (halftime: tied at 42)
  • Location: STUAC Gymnasium, Morrisville, N.Y.
  • Records: Buffalo State 1-0, Morrisville State 0-1

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

  • Morrisville State trailed by 10 after the opening quarter, shooting a mere 26.3% from the floor, before reversing the tables in the second frame and evening the score at 42 after the first half of action behind a 64.3% shooting from the floor.
  • A majority of the Mustangs points came on the hot shooting of Tori Rockefeller (South Kortright, N.Y.) and Alexis Campbell (Buffalo, N.Y.) in the first half of play, as they combined for 25 of Morrisville State's 42 points.
  • Buffalo State held the six point edge after the third quarter, and was able to withstand a furious comeback attempt by the Mustangs in the fourth to capture the win.
  • Campbell led all scorers with 26 points on the night, hitting 9-of-11 from the free throw line, while contributing four rebounds, seven assists and four steals to the tallies on the night.
  • Rockefeller drained four from long range, posting a total 22 points in her first outing as a junior, adding two assists and seven rebounds.
  • Transfer guard Sierra Henry (Newfield, N.Y.) added 16 in the host efforts in her first collegiate game as a Mustang, collecting three steals.
  • Sophomore forward Miranda Wright (Smyrna, N.Y.) posted nine points and five rebounds to lead the post play, nailing a three from the top of the key with seven seconds remaining to tie the contest at 85.
  • The Bengals had three in double figures, led by Princella McCullough who collected the double-double with 25 points and 21 rebounds, while recording six blocks.
  • Kaelee Lynch added 21, and Grace Licata 13, while teammate Liv LeBaron posted eight points to go along with five steals and five assists. LeBaron drove the baseline and hit the reverse layup with five seconds to go on the clock, completing the three-point play with a free throw at the line to give the Bengals the win.
  • Morrisville State shot 37.8% from the floor on the night, including 35.3% from beyond the arc as they hit 12 from long range. The Mustangs hit 81% from the free throw line, converting 17-of-21 shots from the charity stripe.

WHAT'S NEXT:

  • Morrisville State returns to the court Monday, traveling to SUNY Delhi for a non-league matchup set to tip off at 6 p.m. in Delhi.

Morrisville State College's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.

The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2018 issue and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2018 Best Colleges rankings. For more information about Morrisville State College, visit www.morrisville.edu.

 

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