Box Score

HAMILTON – Colgate head coach Nicci Hays Fort admits she's in the midst of a balancing act. Staying positive vs. Pollyanna.

American scored the game's first eight points Saturday and never trailed in posting a 69-44 victory over Colgate here at Cotterell Court. The loss dropped the Raiders to 6-17 overall and 0-8 in the Patriot League.

“We have to stay positive,” Hays Fort said. “That doesn't mean we have to be all giddy and happy about losing, but we have to keep following the process and trust that we're going to turn it around.

“We've just got to put it together. Our mindset has to be if you get one, you can turn it around.”

American set Saturday's pace from the beginning, pressuring the Raiders into 11 turnovers in the first eight minutes en route to 22 forced mistakes for the game by the homesiders. It was the most turnovers by the Raiders since they began this current 10-game losing streak with 30 miscues Jan. 6 at Charlotte.

The Eagles were on top 19-7 by the second media timeout.

“In this game, they just came out and pressed and pressed and pressed, and we didn't handle it well,” Hays Fort said. “We didn't exploit it. It's my fault for not having us ready for it.

“We've handled pressure really well this year. This was the first game where pressure really got to us.”

American led 38-21 at halftime, having scored 22 of those points off turnovers.

Eagles center Stephanie Anya did most of the damage, scoring 12 of her game-high 14 points in the opening 20 minutes. Anya didn't miss a shot in the first half -- 3-of-3 from the field and 6-of-6 from the line.

Butler Breaking Through
The Raiders were led by Josie Stockill's 10 points, while fellow freshman Randyll Butler added a season-high eight and Lulu Brase scored seven. Butler's effort included her first made 3-pointer of the season, a bank shot from the left wing late in the first half.

“I'm just happy it went in,” Butler said with a big grin. “I saw Lauryn (Kobiela) driving and I just wanted to spot up on the opposite side. We get some drives and some kickouts – I'm happy it went in.

“Each game I'm getting stronger and stronger. We're losing some players, so we've got to pick it up and I'm just trying to be a spark. I'm just trying to be aggressive and do it for the team. That's all everyone is trying to do right now.”

The Raiders came out of the locker room with their usual dose second-period aggression. Colgate's defense allowed American only two points over the first 7:55 after intermission and pulled within 40-28.

But the Eagles, now 13-9 overall and 6-2 in the Patriot League, regrouped and didn't allow the Raiders closer than a dozen points the rest of the way.

“We had 16 turnovers at the half, only six in the second half,” Hays Fort said. “A little bit of that is because they didn't press us as hard in the second half, but we just can't dig ourselves a hole at the beginning of the game.”

American placed two players in addition to Anya in double-figures, with Geleisa George and Arron Zimmerman adding 13 apiece for the Eagles.

American claimed a 40-30 edge in rebounding and shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56) from the field. The Eagles were 2-of-11 from 3-point distance and made 13 of their 17 free throws.

Lewis Nails Two Threes
Kobiela and Catherine Lewis added six points each for Colgate. Lewis, in fact, scored the Raiders' first six points on a pair of 3-point buckets.

“We get her two quick looks and then we don't get her the ball much more,” Hays Fort said. “That's tough. That's our fault for not getting her the ball enough.”

Colgate shot 31.3 percent (15-of-48) from the floor and made three of their 10 3-point attempts. Colgate was 11-of-18 from the line.

“You've got to stay positive,” Hays Fort said. “There are good teams out there across the country that are in the same situation we're in. This is a slump.

“We need people to step up and be sparks. Just step up. We're not going down like this; we're going to fight and fight. We've just got to keep fighting, stay positive and stay the course.

The Raiders are home again Wednesday, hosting Bucknell (13-10, 4-4) in a 7 p.m. start.