ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team picked up another double-digit victory on the season with a 70-56 Empire 8 Conference triumph over visiting Utica College on Thursday night inside Ben Light Gymnasium. It is the 12th win for Ithaca, which is now 14-3 and 6-2 in the Empire 8, by more than 10 points this season.

The Bombers came out of the gates with a hot start and scored the game's first eight points on a layup from senior Erin Ferguson and back-to-back 3-pointers by juniors Jordan Beers and Julie Yacovoni.

Utica found the bottom of the net at the 7:22 mark of the first quarter, but both teams were held scoreless for the next three minutes of action. The drought was snapped on a fastbreak layup by sophomore Allie Tunick with 4:25 to play.

The Pioneers pulled to within a 12-8 difference with 2:39 remaining in the quarter, and from there, the score stayed between four to eight points the rest of the stanza, as Ithaca took a 20-16 lead to the second period. Senior Shayna Gaskins scored six of the final eight points for the Bombers.

Ithaca used a 16-1 run over a stretch of 7:31 in the second quarter to build a 19-point lead, 36-17. Utica was able to climb back to within a 15-point spread by halftime, 39-24.

Ferguson scored six of her eight first half points in the frame, while Beers, junior Erin Woop and sophomore Annie Giannone all chipped in three points in the second period.

Ithaca shot 41.0-percent in the first half and 47.1% in the second quarter (8-for-17). The Bombers also assisted on 10 of their 16 baskets in the half.

The largest lead of the contest came with 7:43 left in the third quarter as Beers put in a layup to give Ithaca a 48-25 cushion. Utica brought the score back to a 52-37 disparity with 1:54 left in the quarter, but a 3-pointer from Tunick shortly after pushed the spread back to 18 points.

Midway through the fourth, Ithaca re-established its 23-point lead on a basket from sophomore Meghan Pickell, 65-42, and the Bombers would eventually cruise to the 70-56 victory.

Ferguson finished with a team-high 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting to go along seven rebounds, while Beers added 11 points, four assists and four boards.

Yacovoni, Pickell and sophomore Sara Jackson all had eight points. Woop dished out five assists to go along with five rebounds and three points, while Giannone handed out six assists.

Ithaca ended the evening shooting 30-for-76 (39.5%) and pulled down 50 rebounds, 23 of which were on the offensive end. The Bombers also scored 26 points off 21 turnovers and tallied 22 second-chance points.

IC will remain at home on Saturday as it plays host to St. John Fisher College at 2 p.m. in another conference matchup.