By: Pat Louer
BROCKPORT, N.Y. - The Brockport Golden Eagles women's basketball team won the tip and scored within the first three seconds of action. The rest was history as Brockport dominated Buffalo State 78-44 in their home opener.
"I felt good today. We were on our home court for the first time, it just felt good," Brockport senior guard Harmony Philo said. Philo was a spark off the bench for the Golden Eagles tonight pouring in three threes, two coming in the second quarter.
Brockport started the game in a full-court trapping press. Freshman guard Peyton Maneri and junior guard Stephanie Jean-Baptiste were everywhere, combining for 14 tipped passes in the first half and seven steals total. Head coach Corrine Jones' defensive strategy and high energy helped Brockport score 17 unanswered points en route to a 23-4 lead at the end of the first.
Buffalo State would go on its own run to start the second quarter, led by senior Daemen transfer guard Maddy Stearns. Stearns would go on to hit back-to-back three-pointers, creating a six-point swing on her own. However, Brockport would respond with a barrage of threes later in the second quarter. Senior guard Shannon Blankenship and freshman guard Madeline Hoak both knocked down threes, two of Brockport's six in the second quarter. The Golden Eagles amassed a 29-point lead by halftime.
The Golden Eagles' defensive onslaught did not let up in the second half. Maneri, along with freshman guard Gabbie Stuart, remained active in the Buffalo State backcourt. Both freshmen tallied a season-high in minutes and helped push the pace for the Golden Eagles' offense, which led to 13 points off turnovers in the second half.
Brockport dropped back into a 2-3 zone throughout the game. They dared the Bengals to shoot the ball, and the Bengals responded with physical play down low. Senior forward Adiya Jones would end up two points shy of a double-double, snagging 15 rebounds. Sophomore forward Mya Brown also grabbed 11 boards in the contest.
Without star center Zairea Hannah protecting the paint this year for the Golden Eagles, Freshman forwards Leah Thompson and Claire Turner were turned to by Coach Jones.
They answered the call.
Claire Turner proved to be vital in the second half for the Golden Eagles, tallying 12 minutes compared to just one in the first half. She grabbed eight rebounds for the Golden Eagles tonight, helping Brockport win the rebounding battle 61-53. Both Turner and Thompson stepped up to a challenge to defend the paint, holding the Bengals to 8-for-36 from the field in the second half.
The bench almost outscored Buffalo State alone, scoring 40 points in the game. 24 of those were in the first half. Not only did Brockport's starters come out ready, but everybody did.
"Our goal is to go undefeated at home," Jones said.
With the win, the Golden Eagles improve to 2-1 on the year. They're back in action at home on Nov. 19 against Hamilton College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
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