ALBANY, N.Y. -- Senior captain Meghan Graff scored 20 of her team-high 22 points in the first half to lead the Bates women's basketball team past Russell Sage College by a final score of 72-53 Saturday afternoon. 

The Bobcats (6-4) used a dominant second quarter to pull away from the Gators (6-3) in the final game of 2022.

With Bates trailing 17-15, Graff (South Portland, Maine) converted an old fashioned three-point play with 3:37 left in the first quarter, putting the Bobcats ahead for good.

The Bobcats made four straight free throws and a jumper from sophomore Alexandra Long (Newtown, Pa.) extended the lead to 24-17 with 2:17 left in the first. The Gators cut the Bates lead to five a couple times before Graff hit a three with time expiring, giving Bates an eight-point lead at 30-22 through one quarter of action.

Then Bates made the most of the start of the second quarter, scoring 12 unanswered points to go up by 20 on a pair of free throws from junior Morgan Kennedy (Oklahoma City, Okla.) with 6:08 remaining until halftime.

The Bobcats out-scored the Gators 23-7 in the second quarter, taking a 53-29 lead into the intermission. 

Neither team could get much going offensively in the third quarter, with both squads only scoring eight points. The Gators did edge Bates 16-11 in the fourth quarter but it was too little, too late, for the hosts.

Graff grabbed a season-high seven rebounds to go along with her 22 points. Kennedy finished with 12 points and junior Davina Kabantu (Portland, Maine) chipped in 10. First-year Elsa Daulerio (Harpswell, Maine) added eight points and a season-high 13 rebounds.

Syrita Faraj paced the Gators with 22 points and Giuliana Pritchard recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Bates returns to the floor this Wednesday, January 4, when the Bobcats visit Maine Maritime Academy for a 5pm tip.