ITHACA, N.Y. – The women's basketball team (7-5, 3-0 Empire 8) took over sole possession of first place in the Empire 8 with a 72-57 win over the visiting Utica Pioneers (4-4, 1-1 Empire 8) Tuesday.

Senior forward Tracy Bradley (Lewiston/Brunswick, Maine) recorded her first double-double of the season, leading the Bombers with career-best totals of 20 points and 14 rebounds. She added three assists and three of Ithaca's season-best seven blocked shots.

Junior guard Lindsay Brown (Immaculate/Danbury, Conn.) added 18 points and three assists and junior guard #Katherine Bixby# (Germantown Friends/Philadelphia, Pa.) added 10 points.

The Bombers closed the first half on a 14-2 run after Utica had taken its final lead of the game. Senior guard Megan Rumschik (Williamsville East/East Amherst) sparked the run by scoring the first five points.

Ithaca maintained a double-digit lead for all but 66 seconds of the second half and improved to 27-8 all-time against Utica (including a 15-1 mark in Ben Light Gymnasium).

The Bombers host Nazareth Friday at 6 p.m.

Box score