MORRISVILLE, N.Y. - In a match-up of two of the top United East Conference women's basketball teams Saturday's game came down to the wire. Gallaudet University entered the contest with a seven-game win streak and in first-place in the conference standings with SUNY Morrisville right behind them. 

The visiting Bison trailed by five points, 73-68, with two minutes left in regulation. GU came through at the free-throw line, a perfect 4-for-4, and a clutch layup made by sophomore forward Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.) with 51 ticks left on the clock was the difference. The Mustangs missed their final three 3-point shots and turned the ball over in the final two minutes of play.

Gallaudet (13-7, 11-2 United East) escaped with a 74-73 comeback victory over SUNY Morrisville (12-7, 8-3 United East) and increased its win streak to eight. GU is enjoying its longest winning streak since the 2010-11 season when the Bison began the year 20-0. 

GU scored the game's first 10 points but trailed 22-20 after the first 10 minutes of play. The Bison regrouped and regained the lead in the second quarter and took a 41-38 lead into halftime. 

The two teams were fairly even on the scoreboard in the second half but the statistical sheet showed otherwise. Gallaudet shot 58.3 percent from the field in the third quarter where the Bison outscored the Mustangs by one points, 20-19. In the fourth and final quarter the Bison went cold as they shot only 25 percent from the field. 

GU turned to Perry down the stretch as the power forward scored 10 of Gallaudet's 13 points in the fourth quarter. Perry finished the game with a career-high 28 points as she made 12 of 17 shots from the field and went 4-for-6 from the free-throw line. Perry grabbed eight rebounds, made five blocks, passed out three assists and made two steals in 32 minutes. 

Sophomore forward Malia Zornoza (Riverside, Calif.) recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds and made one of GU's seven blocked shots. Freshman guard Crystal Salit (Boyds, Md.) was the third Bison in double figures for points with 11 to go with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Senior guard Emelia Beldon (Frederick, Md.) added nine points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds while passing out five assists, two steals and one block.

SUNY Morrisville had four players in double digits led by sophomore guard Brooke Hammersley with 18 points, five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore guard Taylor Colone-Microni followed with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block in the loss.

BISON TRACKS

• This was GU's closes game of the 2021-22 season
• Perry matched her career-high with five blocks, this was the second time this year she had five in a game
• Gallaudet scored 48 points in the paint
• The Bison scored 16 second-chance points
• GU held a 44-28 edge in rebounds
• Gallaudet swept the season series with SUNY Morrisville as the Bison won, 69-45, back on January 15

UP NEXT
Gallaudet is off this week and will next travel to Penn State Harrisburg (12-7, 7-4 United East) next Saturday, Feb. 12, at 3 p.m. for a United East Conference game.