The Keuka College Women’s Basketball team fought hard in their Empire 8 opener against Russell Sage on Tuesday afternoon at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center but fell short in a 59-55 defeat.
Mary Cotter (Hershey, Pa. / Hershey) led the Wolves with 15 points, including three three-pointers. Lillian Mullen (Canisteo, N.Y. / Canisteo-Greenwood) scored 13 points while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out an assist. Brooke Burd (Canisteo, N.Y. / Canisteo-Greenwood) fell just short of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The game opened with a three-pointer from Sydney Brown (Lowville, N.Y. / Lowville Academy) to tie the game at 3-3. The Keuka defense kept the game within reach, as Brooke Burd collected four rebounds, and Mary Cotter added a block. The Wolves were down 7-5 when Lillian Mullen hit a shot from behind the arch to regain the lead. This was followed by a 6-1 run in favor of the Gators and Keuka trailed 13-9 after the first quarter.
Keuka gained momentum in the second quarter, as Cotter hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to one at 13-12. A layup from Mullen gave the Wolves their first lead of the quarter, 16-15. However, missed opportunities allowed Russell Sage to pull ahead again after an 8-4 run, and the Wolves went into the break trailing 23-19.
The Wolves came alive in the third quarter, outscoring Russell Sage 18-10. Sydney Brown opened the second half with a layup, and Cotter followed with a jumper to tie the game. A key layup from Burd and two jumpers by Mullen in the paint helped Keuka gain a 10-point lead, up 37-27. The Gators fought back to score the last six points of the frame, to get within four. The game went into the final quarter with Keuka winning 37-34.
In the fourth, Russell Sage surged back, fueled by a pair of three-pointers. Despite strong efforts from Cotter, including two late three-pointers, and Burd’s inside presence, Keuka could not overcome Russell Sage’s late free throws. The Wolves fought in the closing seconds, with Cotter hitting a deep three to make it a one-possession game, but Russell Sage sealed the win at the free-throw line winning the game 59-55.
KC Notes:
- Keuka College moves to 9-9 in the all-time series with Russell Sage College
- Katie Deatherage (Canandaigua, N.Y. / Marcus Whitman) led the team on the boards, collecting 11 rebounds
- Deatherage also surpassed 200 career rebounds
- Sydney Brown scored her 700th career point
- Brooke Burd currently leads the Empire 8 Conference in rebounds per game, with 9.3
Up Next for Keuka College: The Green and Gold will face off against conference opponent Houghton University on Friday, November 10 with a 5:30 pm tip-off.
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