This past week, the Lady Knights dropped a heart-breaker on Tuesday, Jan. 30 to the Brockport Golden Eagles by a score of 68-66.
Senior guard Katy Irving scored 18 points, and junior forward Annie Verdino added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Junior forward Amanda Haney also scored 13 points while grabbing six rebounds. Sophomore guard Jamie Scordino and sophomore forward Bridget Riley each chipped in eight points as the team fell to 10-9.
The next day, the women bounced back to defeat the SUNYIT Wildcats by the score of 67-53. The Knights outrebounded their opponents 45-32 and forced 25 turnovers. They were especially tough on the defensive end, grabbing 29 boards to limit Wildcat second chances.
Verdino led all scorers with 18 points and nine rebounds, continuing her strong play. Haney also reached double-digits, scoring 10 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Freshman forward Alanna Klose added eight points, making six of seven free throws. Scordino had a team-high four assists, and also contributed seven points.
A balanced scoring attack and control of the boards were the keys to victory, and the women led by as much as 23 points in the second half. The Knights shot 44 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, and found their way to the free throw line all day. They made 11 more free throws on 16 more attempts than Brockport, and their physical play was important in this decisive win.
The women were able to stay hot on Wednesday night at Oswego, picking up an 82-72 victory over the Lakers. Geneseo went on a 17-1 first half run to go up 31-24 and never trailed after that.
Verdino led a balanced attack with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Irving added 16 while shooting 4-5 from three-point range. Haney pitched in with 14 on 5-6 shooting from the field and Riley had 10, as the Lady Knights had four players in double figures.
The men dropped a game against Brockport, 82-70 on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Junior guard Joe Kling led the Knights with 17 points and five rebounds, converting all eight of his free throw attempts. Junior forward Tarik Kitson added 13 points, and sophomore guard Scott Morton scored 12 points and brought down six rebounds. Sophomore forward Jeff Howe made six of eight shots from the field, scoring 12 points to go with his eight rebounds.
The team continued to struggle on Saturday, Feb. 3 as the Knights lost to the Wildcats from SUNYIT, 70-63. Kitson led the way with 24 points and eight rebounds, making 11 of his 17 shots. Senior forward Greg Spears added 10 points and six rebounds. Senior guard Nick Kelley scored nine points and had three assists, and Morton had eight points, five rebounds, and a team-leading six assists.
The men traveled to Oswego on Wednesday, Feb. 7 and dropped their fifth straight SUNYAC contest, 67-60. Geneseo fell behind 21-8 early and never recovered, coming only as close as four points. Steve McDonnell scorched the nets with 24 points on 8-14 shooting, while Scott Morton and Tarik Kitson added 10 each for the Knights, who fell to 12-9 overall and 6-6 in the SUNYAC.
The team is trying to overcome injuries to key players, including senior starting point guard Brian Bennett. However, head coach Steve Minton refuses to make excuses. "Every team faces injuries, and it is part of the game," said Minton.
With classes in session, the team has less time to practice, making it more difficult to create chemistry on the court. "Players are now forced to fill new roles, and this takes time to get used to," added Minton. The team now has little room for error, still hoping to grab one of the top four spots in the conference. The top four teams get home-court games for the SUNYAC tournament, which is a goal of the Knights.
"We want to win the tournament, and move on from there. Having home court will definitely help," stated Minton as he looked to the future.