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Women's Basketball

Women's Basketball Rallies Past Hartwick 43-38 For Empire 8 Title

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Ithaca College women's basketball team (23-4) rallied to beat Hartwick 43-38 in Saturday's Empire 8 Championship Tournament final to win the league's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs. Pairings for the 64-team field will be announced Monday at 2:30 p.m.

Sophomore forward Jenn Escobido was named Tournament MVP and senior guard Jess Farley joined her on the all-tournament team. Farley hit a pair of clutch three-point shots down the stretch as Ithaca erased a 36-31 Hawk lead in the final 2:50. Sophomore Mary Kate Tierney led Ithaca with 11 points as the Bombers tied a school record with their 23rd win of the season.

The Hawks scored seven straight points to take their biggest lead -- 36-31 -- with 3:10 left, but scored just two more points the rest of the game. Farley hit a three-pointer to pull the Bombers to within two and a free throw by junior center Devin Shea made it a one-point game.

Hartwick regained its three-point lead on a pair of free throws with 1:20 left before Farley tied the score with another three pointer 21 seconds later. The Hawks missed an awkward shot that Escobido rebounded (for her team-best ninth of the game) and Shea put the Bombers ahead for good with a driving lay-up with 16 seconds left.

Escobido and sophomore guard Kathryn Campbell combined for three free throws in the final seven seconds to provide the margin of victory.

With the win, the Bombers claim their fourth Empire 8 tournament title (2004, 2005, 2007) and will make the program's ninth NCAA playoff appearance (1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010). The last eight playoff appearances have come under Coach Dan Raymond.

Escobido finished with six points, nine rebounds and four assists; she notched a career-high 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds in Ithaca's semifinal win over St. John Fisher. Farley scored eight points and pulled down a career-best nine rebounds. Campbell finished with six rebounds.

The Hawks' 38 points marked the eighth time the Bombers have held an opponent under 40 points this winter, setting a school record.

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