The Geneseo women's basketball team prevailed on Saturday in a high scoring thriller at Morrisville State, 79-63.
The win was crucial for the Lady Knights, who were coming off three SUNYAC losses the week before.
Geneseo led at the half by only one, 28-27, but started the second half on an 8-0 run. The Knights put the game away outscoring the Mustangs 51-36 in the second half.
Senior forward Tracy Wangelin led all scorers with a career-high 25 points, as well as posting a double-double and adding 10 rebounds to the effort.
First-year guard Briana Dunton had 14 points, going 4-8 from behind the arc.
Junior Kate Jaffie added 12 points, while senior point guard Amanda Bihr handed out seven assists.
"We talked at halftime that this was a game we had to win," said Geneseo coach Scott Hemer. Having lost the previous week to New Paltz, Oneonta and Brockport, Geneseo knew that this game had to end in their favor.
The Lady Knights did turn it on during the second half. Hemer credited their success to two things: "We were more effective in transition and got good looks at the basket and made our shots. That was big."
He also acknowledged the difference in scoring between the first and second half, saying, "Sometimes we struggle to play consistently; we come up flat and then turn it on."
With hopes for the SUNYAC Tournament still high, the team has to win some tough matchups in the upcoming weeks.
"All we can do is concentrate on what we can control, our effort, intensity, defense and rebounding," said Hemer. "Sometimes we struggle to maintain that throughout a 40-minute game. If we can put ourselves in that position we can win every game."
The Lady Knights are looking ahead to this weekend when they play the Plattsburgh Cardinals on Friday followed by the Potsdam Bears on Saturday. Both games are key to Geneseo's SUNYAC tournament hopes.
[Editor's note: Geneseo lost on the road at Oswego Tuesday evening, 64-47. They move to 6-15 on the season.]