Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. – The 16th-ranked Ithaca College women's basketball team (4-1) returned to winning ways Tuesday night with a 72-62 victory over visiting Cortland (4-2) in Ben Light Gymnasium.

Ithaca controlled the first half, leading by as many as 14, but a 12-5 run in the second secured the Red Dragons a four-point edge at the nine-minute mark. Ithaca answered with a streak of its own to power ahead to a double-digit lead en route to victory.

With the win Ithaca improved to 18-11 at home against the Red Dragons winning its third straight, though Cortland maintains a slight 33-31 edge in the series history dating back to 1969. 

Senior Mary Kate Tierney erupted for a career- and game-high 28 points to go with a game-high-tying eight rebounds. Classmate Kathryn Campbell added 14 points and senior Jenn Escobido joined Tierney with eight boards. She and junior Samantha Klie each chipped in nine points. Klie led the contest with five assists and Tierney swiped a trio of steals.

Tierney opened the game with a trey 31 seconds into action and Ithaca went on to deny Cortland the lead the entire half, despite a pair of ties. Following a 14-14 draw at 12:33, Ithaca posted nine unanswered to lead 23-14 at 9:51. The Bombers went on to claim a 14-point gap at 4:44, but the Red Dragons scored 13 of the final 17 points, including a last-second layup, to cut within 39-34 at intermission.

Cortland continued to dominate early in the second, securing its first lead of the game at 16:11 while holding Ithaca scoreless for the first 4:35 of play. One of Tierney's five threes knotted the game at 42. Ithaca was again silent for the next five minutes until a Klie jumper tied the game at 44. The Red Dragons' final lead was a 54-52 lead at 5:11. A Tierney three-ball tipped-off eight consecutive Bomber points as Ithaca claimed an indefinite lead. The Bombers, who drained 24-of-30 from the charity stripe on the night, hit 7-of-8 down the stretch to hold off the visiting squad.

The Red Dragons shot 45.7 percent from the floor to Ithaca's 37.5 percent, though the Bombers owned a 42-28 advantage in rebounds.

Ithaca returns to action Saturday, Dec. 7 hosting St. Lawrence at 2 p.m.