TROY, N.Y. – Freshman Ava McCann scored 11 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter to lead the St. Lawrence University (SLU) women's basketball team to a come-from-behind 52-51 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in a Liberty League contest at East Campus Arena.
 
Trailing by five entering the fourth quarter, the Saints made three consecutive shots – all three pointers, two from McCann – to take a 47-43 lead. It was the first time in the contest SLU was ahead. RPI countered with six consecutive points of its own, including four from LaKissa Martin, for a 49-47 lead with 4:08 to play.
 
A McCann basket tied the game at 3:59 and then the guard put the Saints in front with a three pointer with 2:51 left. Ines Ortea pulled RPI to within a point a minute later, but the Engineers did not score again. The final chance for RPI came on a left baseline jumpshot out of a timeout with 1.2 seconds remaining, but the ball hit the front rim and was rebounded by St. Lawrence.
 
McCann led all scorers with her 20 points. Annabella Pugliese had nine points, six rebounds and four assists and Chelsea Van Tassel had five points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
 
Martin, a senior, was Rensselaer's leader in points with 19 and rebounds with 10. Celia Tomlinson added eight points and six rebounds.
 
Martin put the Engineers in front with a three pointer to start the game and Ortea followed with a right wing jumper for a 5-0 lead. St. Lawrence got on the board with a Dylan Watkiss basket at the 8:30 mark, but Martin fed Tomlinson at the hoop and she made it a five point lead again. A pair of Martin free throws with just over three minutes left in the first quarter gave the Engineers a six point edge (11-5), their largest of the half.
 
A Watkiss jumper a minute into the second quarter pulled SLU to within 17-15, but Martin answered with a layup a minute later. Watkiss then hit a three pointer, but RPI scored the next four points. A McCann three cut the Saints deficit to 23-21 midway through the second, but they went scoreless for the next four minutes and fell behind 26-21. The first half ended with RPI holding a 28-23 lead.
 
Martin had nine points, five rebounds and two assists from senior LaKissa Martin. The Saints got nine points from McCann.
 
The difference remained five points after the third quarter with RPI ahead 43-28. The Saints had gotten to within a point (30-29) with 6:19 to play, but Martin scored three consecutive baskets for a 36-29 edge. Four minutes later, Marlee Gunn pulled the visitors to with two points, but Elizabeth Eckhardt answered with a three pointer for a 43-38 lead after 30 minutes.
 
The Engineers (11-13; 6-11) host Clarkson University on Saturday, while the Saints (8-16; 5-12) travel to Skidmore College. Both games are the season finales and both begin at 2pm.