Brockport women’s basketball defeated SUNY Geneseo on Saturday, winning 66-57 to cap off a day that celebrated Brockport’s four seniors. Hali Lucia, Zairea Hannah, Kelsey Morgans and Zoe Zutes were all honored in Brockport’s final game of the regular season.
The Golden Eagles were able to jump out to an early lead in the first quarter, thanks in part to their unrelenting defense. Putting up rushed and contested shots, the Knights ended the quarter shooting 5-17 from the field and 2-10 from three-point range. Brockport was able to take a commanding 11-point lead, finishing the quarter up 23-12.
“Emotions were definitely high with it being senior day,” Zutes said. “But after the first five minutes, everyone was able to settle in.”
The Knights would chip away at Brockport’s lead in the second quarter. Geneseo would take their first lead of the quarter at the six-and-a-half-minute mark, after a Kerry Dennin offensive rebound and layup. Dennin would finish the game with 12 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. The Golden Eagles would finish the first half still ahead 39-32.
Both teams would struggle from the floor in the third quarter. Brockport shot 2-17 from the field and 1-6 from three, scoring only five points. Geneseo did not fare much better, making only two field goals. They would go into the fourth quarter down 44-35.
The Golden Eagles would dominate to start the fourth quarter, going up by 13 with five and a half left to play. Geneseo would battle back, however, due largely to Hannah Stockman, who finished with nine points in the quarter and 15 for the day. Brockport would keep the lead until Stockman tied the game at 55 with 34 seconds left. The Golden Eagles would take two timeouts to try and draw up the game-winning play, but they were unable to convert sending the game to overtime.
The Golden Eagles would have to go without their leading rebounder Hannah, who fouled out with two and a half left in the fourth quarter. Hannah had been instrumental in this game, pulling in nine rebounds.
Morgans would hit a three to open the overtime scoring and give Brockport a lead they would never relinquish. Zutes would put the game out of Geneseo’s reach with a step-back three-pointer, extending Brockport’s lead to six with a little over one minute to play.
“I put up the shot with pure confidence,” Zutes said.
Zutes currently leads the SUNYAC in three-point percentage, shooting over 45 percent on the year. She would finish with a game-high 16 points.
Following intentional Geneseo fouls, Brockport would shoot 3-4 from the free throw line to ice the game, finishing on top 66-57.
Ending the regular season as the fourth seed, the Golden Eagles will host the No. 5 seed Oswego State Lakers on Feb. 20 at home in the first round of the SUNYAC playoffs. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
“I’m excited,” Zutes said. “To be able to play here at Tuttle means a lot, I’d love nothing more than being able to go all the way.”
