Box Score Watch (RPI TV)

TROY, N.Y. - The St. Lawrence University women's basketball team got off to a fast start and then held off Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 79-67, in a Liberty League game at East Campus Arena. The Saints, who were put five players in double digits in points, improve to 13-4 overall and 7-1 in the league. The Engineers, who cut their deficit to eight points in the second half, fall to 10-7 and 4-4.

St. Lawrence began the game by scoring the first eight points on baskets by four different players, while holding Rensselaer off the scoreboard for the opening 4:40. RPI broke the string with a pair of free throws but sophomore Kara McDuffee (Owego, NY / Tioga) hit a three-point basket for an 11-2 lead. The Engineers scored the next four points but St. Lawrence widened its lead to 24-10 with 6:10 to go in the opening half. 

The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half and the Saints led 34-10 at the break. Three players had six first half points for the visitors, including McDuffee, who also had five rebounds. RPI was led by Sarah Wetmore (Sudbury, MA / Lincoln-Sudbury Regional), who had seven points in the opening frame.

St. Lawrence shot 55.5% (15 of 27) in the first half, while holding Rensselaer to just 20% (6 of 30).

RPI pulled to within eight points on two ocassions in the first five minutes of the second half but St. Lawrence made a 23-11 run for a 20 point lead with 9:20 left in the second half. The Engineers continued to battle back, this time getting to within nine points, 70-61, with 4:11 left but that was as close as they would get.

McDuffee finished with 16 points and nine rebounds to lead St. Lawrence in scoring. Freshman Amanda Roberts (Adams, NY / South Jefferson) had 11 points, five rebounds and five assists and Hannah Wilson (Berne, NY / Academy of The Holy Names) and Lauren Quattrocchi (Brewster, NY / Brewster) had 10 points and three rebounds apiece.

Rensselaer's Wetmore, a graduate student. led all players with 22 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes before fouling out late in the second half. Sophomore Bailei Tetrault (Cohoes, NY / Cohoes) added 10 points, four rebounds and four assists, while freshman Ashley Clough (West Chesterfield, NH / Keene) scored 10 points with five rebounds and two assists.

RPI is back in action on Friday at Willliam Smith College. St. Lawrence plays next on Tuesday against Clarkson. Both games are league contests that begin at 6pm.