Albany, NY— Ella Eckert scored a game high 24 points and posted a double-double with a game best 13 points to lead St. John Fisher College to a 63-56 Empire 8 women's basketball victory over The Sage Colleges at Kahl Gym Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals improved to 13-6 overall and 7-3 in the Empire 8. Sage fell to an even 10-10 for the season and is now 5-6 in the conference.

 

Olivia Baumann and Sam Fischer scored 10 points each for the Cardinals, while Erin Hulbert pulled down seven rebounds. Baumann also had a game high three steals. St. John Fisher outrebounded Sage, 51-42 for the game and shot 36%.

 

Sage was led by freshman forward Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) who recorded her first Sage career double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore forward Madasyn Bush (Pottersville, NY/North Warren Central) had 10 rebounds for the Gators, and senior guard Macie Holmes (Amsterdam, NY/Mekeel Christian Academy) added 10 points. Sage shot 35% for the contest.

 

The Gators scored the first four points of the game and had a five point lead with 5:07 left in the first period after a layup by Holmes. With a three point play by Bush with 1:54 left, the Gators led 15-13 after the first. Fischer tied it for the guests at 17-17 with 8:40 left in the first half, and the Cardinals 8-2 run for a 25-19 lead with 1:59 left. They took a 28-23 lead into the half. The Cardinals led by as many as 11 twice in the third quarter, including 40-29 with 3:32 left, and had a 42-35 lead after three. Sage got to within four at 51-47 after four straight points by Pritchard with 5:12 left in the fourth period but two straight layups by Eckert made it a nine point lead at 57-48 with 2:24 left. The Cardinals were six for six at the line in the final 27 seconds to seal the triumph.

 

The Gators will return to action Tuesday, February 5 at Empire 8 foe Utica at 5:30 p.m. The Cardinals are at Alfred Tuesday for a league game at 5:30 p.m.