Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team (14-4, 7-1 Empire 8) pieced together a potent second half to defeat visiting Hartwick (14-4, 7-1 Empire 8), 70-59, Saturday afternoon at Ben Light Gymnasium. The Bombers outscored the Hawks 50-31 in the second to win their 50th game against Hartwick. Ithaca, who is 31-4 since 1999 over the Hawks, owns a 50-18 advantage in the series history dating back to 1972.

Ithaca joins Hartwick in a tie for first place in the league. Having not yet played the Bombers or Hawks, Elmira (11-3, 4-1 Empire 8) also has just one Empire 8 loss.

Ithaca won its sixth straight game to snap a six-game Hawk winning streak. Hartwick forced seven Ithaca turnovers in the first to hold a 28-20 lead at halftime. Ithaca shot a meager 32.1 percent in the first before hitting 15-of-26 in the second, good for a 57.7 percent performance from the field.

Senior Jenn Escobido, who was honored prior to the game for meeting the 1,000-point mark in Friday night's win over Stevens, led all players with 18 points. Rookie Ali Ricchiuti came off the bench to score a season-best 12 points in 22 minutes of play. Senior Mary Kate Tierney scored 11 points in the latter half and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds for her 11th career double-double and sixth of the season. Tierney added game-highs of six assists and three blocks.

The Hawks, who drained a three in the first minute of play, led entire first 30 minutes of play. They held an eight-point edge at intermission. It was a 25-20 game with 1:36 lingering in the first, but three Ithaca turnovers in the final minute stretched the Hawks' lead to 28-20.

An and-one play in the first minute of the second secured Hartwick its largest lead of the game, 31-20. Seven unanswered Bomber points followed. Ithaca had the game within two at 13:30, but it was a Tierney three-pointer at the 10-minute mark that knotted action at 42. The score bounced back-and-forth over the next three minutes. A Ricchiuti trey at 6:35 sealed Ithaca's infinite advantage and tipped off a 9-0 Bomber run. Hartwick pulled within four on back-to-back threes, 63-59, with 49 ticks remaining in the game. Holding the Hawks scoreless, Ithaca went 7-for-8 from the charity stripe down the stretch to secure the win.

Strong free-throw shooting helped the Bombers clinch the game. Ithaca was 19-for-24 (79.2%) for the game and took just two in the first frame.

The Bombers will next travel to Elmira Tuesday, Jan. 28 for an 8 p.m. contest.