PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher women's basketball team defeated Alfred University, 46-41, behind a game-high 16 points from senior guard Hannah Ferguson to open Empire 8 Conference play on Tuesday night inside the Manning & Napier Varsity Gym. 

The Cardinals earned their second straight win and improved to 4-6 overall (1-0 E8) with the victory, while Alfred dropped to 6-5 overall and 0-2 in league play. 

Ferguson shot an efficient 6-of-13 overall and scored 14 of her career-high 16 points in the second half of the offensive struggle. St. John Fisher shot 30.2% overall (17.6% from three) with 19 turnovers, and Alfred finished even lower at 26.2% overall (8.3% from three) with 18 giveaways. 

How it Happened

Fisher got on the board first after a Ferguson putback lay-in and took a 6-2 lead following a layup from freshman guard Natalie Mai. Alfred answered with an 8-2 spurt to even the game at 8-8, and took an 11-10 lead after nailing a three-pointer. Danielle Seamon sank a free throw to tie the score at 11, but the Saxons finished a drive with 30 seconds left to take a 13-11 advantage after one. 

A layup from senior guard Presleigh Brunner to open the second quarter forced another deadlock, and after an ensuing Alfred score, Brenna Heidt converted a lay-in to once again tie the contest, 17-17. The Saxons held Fisher scoreless for the remainder of the half and posted four more points to take a 19-15 edge through 20 minutes. 

Mai and Brunner led the Cardinals with four points apiece. Fisher shot 6-for-28 while Alfred shot 9-for-28 in the first half.

Ferguson, who finished the third quarter with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, tallied seven straight Cardinals points out of the break to fuel them to a 24-23 lead. The Saxons reclaimed the lead on a pair of free throws, until Fisher responded with a 9-2 run finished off by a Mai triple to hold a 33-25 margin into the fourth quarter. 

Alfred cut its deficit to four in the first two minutes of the final period; however, the Cardinals didn't budge, responding with a 7-2 surge, five of those points coming from Brunner, to extend their lead to 40-31. 

The Saxons fought back one final time, going on a 10-2 run to cut Fisher's edge to 43-41 after canning a three-pointer with eight seconds to go. The ensuing possession, Valerosa Gambitta notched two free throws to grow the Cardinals' lead to 45-41. Heidt stole the ball the next play, and Ferguson landed another free throw to ice a Fisher victory, 46-41. 

Jaidyn Chest led Alfred with 13 points. 

Game Notes

• Ferguson has scored 31 points while shooting 52.3% (11-of-21) over the Cardinals' last two games. She has scored at least 15 points in each contest. 

• Mai also reached double figures, scoring 10 points while shooting 4-of-8 overall and 2-of-4 from deep.

• Sophomore guard Gambitta led the Cardinals with nine rebounds, one shy of matching her career high. She also tallied a team-high three assists. 

• Freshman forward Breanna Heidt grabbed a season-high seven rebounds. 

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