UTICA, N.Y. - The SUNY Poly women's basketball team beat NVU-Johnson on Friday night 64-50 to advance to the NAC West Division Championship game on Saturday. The Wildcats started slow offensively but heated up on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball in the second quarter to gain the momentum to win and advance. The Wildcats will play #2 SUNY Cobleskill for the West Division title on Saturday, February 18th.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Wildcats started the game cold, shooting just 23% from the field in the first quarter. NVU-Johnson built their lead to 11 points with just over a minute left in the first. Poly was able to cut that lead to seven at the end of the quarter thanks to a pair of stops, a pair of free throws, and a made jumper to end the half. After Johnson opened the second with a quick basket, the Wildcat's completely flipped the script by going on a 13-0 run that saw three 3-pointers made back-to-back-to-back. Johnson tied the game at 23 with about a minute left in the quarter, but the Wildcats closed out the first half with a 6-2 run to take back the lead. Poly put the game out of reach in the third quarter with a 12-0 run to open the half. They built their lead to a high of 20 points early in the fourth quarter.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Molly Burdick had a double-double for the Wildcats with a game-high 25 points and a game-high 21 rebounds. Burdick also had a pair of blocks, a steal, and three assists.
• Lyrik Jackson scored 20 points, had a team-high five steals, five assists, and three rebounds for the Wildcats.
• Ashley Reid had eight points, five assists, and three steals in her first career post-season game.
• Gabrielle Wardwell had a team-high 15 points for NVU-Johnson. She also had a team-high 17 rebounds.
• Paris Atuahene scored 14 points, had a game-high six steals, and a team-high five assists for the Badgers.
• Emma Buonanno scored 12 points, had four steals, and pulled down three boards for Johnson.

UP NEXT:

The Wildcats will host #2 SUNY Cobleskill on Saturday, February 18th at 2:00 PM. The game will be played at SUNY Poly's Campus Center Gym and will be live-streamed on the SUNY Poly Sports Network (SPSN).

*************************************************************************************************************

SUNY Poly is New York's globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience programs at its Albany campus, and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, game design, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica campus; thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world's most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.