Syracuse, NY - Onondaga Women's Basketball hosted their first home games of the season in the annual Lazer Tip-Off Classic in the SRC Arena & Events Center.

The Lazers had the court for game one at 1pm on Saturday with the Region 21 Community College of Rhode Island. The two teams formerly met at the 2024-25 Lazer Classic where Onondaga took a 73-67 victory over the Knights.

The Lazers put up the first points of the game on a three from Fairport Sophomore, Amiya Johnson. The Lazers continued taking shots beyond the arc, but couldn't get them to fall, unused to the depth of the arena. The Knights were hot from the outside early on, finishing 6-17 from three. The Lazers trailed 27-15 at the end of the first quarter. The Lazers started to penetrate the CCRI defense in the second quarter, but still had trouble getting shots to fall. Turnovers had the Lazers trailing 36-23 at the end of the first half.

OCC put the press on in the second half trying to force CCRI turnovers, able to come within ten near the end of the third quarter. Belfast Sophomore, Mary Hamer hit one from deep to start the fourth. Gallup, NM Freshman, Kassidy Jones had a hot streak hitting back to back to back threes, putting them in the position to trail by just five with 5:44 remaining. The Knights stayed composed and hit a deep three themselves with four minutes to go and extended the lead from the freethrow line as things got scrappy. A late three from Spencerport Sophomore, Lundyn McCutchen put the Lazers back within ten with a minute and a half remaining, but CCRI continuing to draw fouls and make freethrows kept the Lazers out of reach to finish, falling 58-69 to the No. 9 Knights on day one. Hamer recorded a double-double with 14 points and matching her career high 15 rebounds. Jones went 4-9 from the arc for a total 12 points.
 
The Lazers bounced back on day two of the classic taking on the Region 15 opponent, Kingsborough Community College.

Both teams struggled to finish at the hoop early on until Jones picked up where she left off on Saturday with back to back threes in the first quarter, keeping a slight edge for Onondaga, leading 15-7 at the end of the first. OCC's active defense forced several Kingsborough turnovers in the second quarter, but still struggled to finish at the hoop and allowing the Wave to come within one with three minutes remaining in the half. Timely shooting for OCC sent them to the break with a five point lead after a three from Jones and Miami, FL Freshman, Elsa Stier.
 
OCC's shots began to fall in the second half, particularly for Amiya Johnson with four threes in the third quarter, giving the Lazers a healthy 50-32 lead at the end of the third. Back to back OCC buckets to start the fourth put the nail in the coffin for the Wave, with OCC taking the victory on day two, 65-50. The Lazers went 10-22 from the arc (45.5%) led by Amiya Johnson finishing with 17 points and 6 rebounds alongside Kassidy Jones with 14.
 
The Lazers will host their first 2024-25 game in Allyn Hall this Wednesday, November 12th at 5:30pm with Tompkins-Cortland Community College where Head Coach, Kelly Seibt will seek her 100th career win.

For the latest news on the OCC women's basketball program, follow @onondagawbb on Instagram and Twitter. You can keep up with all OCC Athletics by following us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @OnondagaLazers.