Alfred, NY – In the season opener for the SUNY Brockport women's basketball team, the Golden Eagles pulled out the win over Alfred State on the road. They defeated the Pioneers, 68-55, to begin the 2023-24 campaign 1-0.
Stephanie Jean-Baptiste picked up right where she left off last season, coming into the new year as the reigning SUNYAC Rookie of the Year. In the first game of year two she scored a career-high 21 points, going 9-for-15 from the field.
Despite dealing with some foul trouble,
Zairea Hannah posted a double-double as the starting forward. She finished with 10 points and a game-high 12 boards, while also swatting away a pair of shots defensively.
As a team, the Golden Eagles won the battle on the boards on both sides of the court. They outrebounded Alfred State 14-5 on the offensive glass and 30-23 on the defensive boards. This led to a significant gap for Brockport on the scoresheet for second chance points (15-2).
In a game where all active players saw the floor, 11 different players registered points on the night. This includes the first career baskets at Brockport for
Mandy Brink (4pts),
Kelsey Morgans (4pts),
Mallory Turner (3pts), and
Shasha Cooper (2pts).
Although the Pioneers had three double-digit scorers, Brockport's effort on defense held them to just 37.0% shooting on the night. Alfred State trailed by just two points (30-28) going into halftime, but Brockport came out in the third ready to play. The Green and Gold scored 26 points in the third on 50% shooting from the field to take a 56-39 lead into the fourth.
The Golden Eagles win their fourth season opener in a row to get the new season started off on the right foot. They are back in action on the home floor this weekend for the 58 Main BBQ & Brew Tip-Off Classic this weekend.
Brockport will play Keuka College at 5pm on Friday, November to start the action for the weekend. Fredonia and William Smith will also play Friday night at 7pm. Saturday will feature Keuka vs Fredonia at 1pm and then Brockport vs William Smith at 3pm at The Vlog.
