Senior guard Heather Merino (Queensbury/Lake George) scored a game-high 20 points and freshman Kayla Ryan (Schaghticoke/Hoosick Valley) added 11 pionts, but Oswego State could not hold on to a 13-point halftime advantage as host Clarkson University shot 57.7 percent from the floor in the second half while holding the Lakers to 22.2 percent shooting en route to a 61-67 in non-conference action.

The loss was the fourth in a row for Oswego (4-6) in their final non-conference contest before resuming their SUNYAC schedule for the remainder of the season.

Merino hit seven of 17 shots from the field and made six of eight free throws as the Lakers shot 40 percent (14 of 35) from the floor in holding a 35-20 halftime lead. Junior guard Tricia Sullivan (Copenhagen) added nine points and classmate Rachel Kohrs (New Lebanon) added seven points, eight rebounds, and registered five steals. Sophomore Traci Bacon (Massena) was held to three points, but pulled down a game-high tying 10 rebounds (eight defensive), dished out three assists, and collected a game-leading six steals.

Oswego opened with a 13-3 advantage, scoring the first eleven points of the game in the opening 6:29 with jumpers from Kohrs and Merino, back-to-back layups from Ryan, and a three-point play from Sullivan.

After Clarkson answered with the next seven points to pull to within three points with 8:51 to play in the half, Oswego closed out the half on a 23-10 tear over the final 6:25, with Merino scoring nine points in the run, followed by five points from Kohrs and four from Ryan.

The Lakers maintained their double-digit lead for the opening 7:24 of the second half (leading 40-30) before the Golden Knights used a 13-3 run to tie the game at 43-43. with 8:34 to play. Both teams exchanged baskets before Clarkson took its first lead of the night at 48-445 on a three-point play by Lauren Pluchino with 7:24 remaining. Merino followed with a three-point play 14 seconds later to tie the game at 48-48, but Clarkson went on an 11-3 run to jump out its biggest lead of the game at 59-51 with 3:18 left on the clock, with Pluchino scoring eight of the Golden Knights' points in the run.

Oswego went 2-for-7 from the field over the final three minutes (1-for-5 from three-point range), despite Clarkson turning the ball over four times in the stretch.

Pluchino, who was held scoreless in the first half, came off the bench to lead Clarkson with 16 points, going 6-for-7 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the line. She also pulled down 10 rebounds and dished out three assists in only 22 minutes of action.

The Lakers resume conference play on Saturday, January 10 with a 6 p.m. matchup at SUNY Cortland.

BOXSCORE