Bard College scored 34 second half points to post a 53-51 comeback victory over Morrisville State College women’s basketball Friday evening in the opening round of the Kevin Fee/Roo Classic held at SUNY Canton.
Morrisville State drops their first contest of the 2012-13 season campaign.
Jennel Paul (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led Morrisville State’s efforts with 17 points, adding three rebounds and an assist to her tallies, while Courtney Coley (Bronx, N.Y.) registered 11 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double in her collegiate debut. LaCandice Sanders (Waco, Tx.) rounded out top scoring for the Mustangs with 10 points, pulling down a team high six boards.
Nijee Scott (Bronx, N.Y.) tallied nine points and five boards in the loss, adding a team high three assists and three steals in the efforts.
Bard’s Tytravia Riley dominated the paint, collecting 23 points and 16 rebounds, including 10 offensive, in the win. Bianka Bell added 11 points and three assists.
In the back and forth battle throughout the first half, Coley hit a jumper in the paint with under a minute to go in the period to give the Mustangs the 21-19 advantage at the break.
Bard posted two quick scores to start the second half, and maintained the slim lead throughout much of the period. With just over three minutes remaining in the contest, a jumper by Scott brought Morrisville State to within one, but Victoria Fleisher nailed a three to regain a four-point lead for Bard.
Coley made a shot in the paint for Morrisville State with 1:23 to go, cutting the lead to two, but the Mustangs were unable to post another score down the stretch, as Bard collected the non-conference win.
Morrisville State struggled from the floor, shooting a mere 29.7 percent in the game, while converting just 9-of-20 free throws on the night (45.0 percent).
The Mustangs return to the court tomorrow, playing Albany College of Pharmacy at noon in Canton.