Kari Kipper (Sr., Loudonville, N.Y.) scored 14 of her game-high 23 points in the eight minutes to help the Oswego State women's basketball team (10-1, 4-0 SUNYAC) hang on for a 56-52 victory at Oneonta (4-8, 1-4) Tuesday night. Meagan Stover (Sr., Lake George, N.Y.) and Lauren Nunziato (Jr., West Sand Lake, N.Y.) joined Kipper in double-digits with 11 points each.
Kipper had the hot hand early as her 14-point stretch put the Lakers ahead, 19-8, with 12:34 on the scoreboard. The Red Dragons stormed back into the game following a 12-3 run to make the score 22-20 five minutes later. Oswego State stopped the momentum after Evelyn Josbena (Sr., Solvay, N.Y.) found Paula Egelston (Jr., Fultonville, N.Y.) open for back-to-back jumpers to open the lead back to six points, but Oneonta ended the half strong as the Lakers went into the locker room leading 32-30.
The squads exchanged baskets throughout the first part of the second half until a Stover trey and a Kipper jumper gave Oswego State a 51-45 advantage with 8:16 left in regulation. For the next six minutes, the Lakers went without a point, but the defense only allowed one Red Dragon basket as it remained a four-point contest.
Oneonta's Grace Schilling drained a pair of free throws with 2:22 on the clock for two of her team-high 20 points. With a slim two-point lead, Nunziato and Stover hit jumpers to make the score 55-49 in favor of the visiting team and 32 seconds on the board. Schilling nailed a three-pointer on the Red Dragons' next trip up the floor, but a Josbena free throw sealed the win for Oswego State.
The Lakers shot 40 percent from the floor on 22-for-55 shooting compared to Oneonta, which shot 36 percent (18-of-50). Oswego State struggled from the free throw line making four of 10 attempts. The Red Dragons converted 12 of 18 free-throw attempts
Oswego State hosts Fredonia at 6 p.m., Friday night, Jan. 11.
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