ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team finished out the regular season with a 74-48 victory over Houghton College in Empire 8 Conference action on Thursday evening inside Ben Light Gymnasium. Ithaca, which now has won 11 consecutive games, finishes the regular season with a 22-3 overall record and a 14-2 mark in Empire 8 play. The victory secures at least a share of the Empire 8 regular season title, while IC will find out this weekend where the conference tournament will take place.

Despite six early points from senior Erin Ferguson, the Bombers found themselves down by five at 13-8 with 4:36 remaining in the first quarter. After a pair of free throws by senior Ali Ricchiuti cut Ithaca's deficit to three, sophomore Allie Tunick tied the game with a 3-pointer at the 2:46 mark. Sophomore Sara Jackson would put the Bombers in front, 16-13, on another make from behind the arc before Houghton ended the run on a layup with 41 left. Jackson drilled another three on the ensuing possession to give the Bombers a 19-15 lead heading to the second period.

It took Ithaca 3:15 to get on the board in the second, which came on a bucket from junior Jordan Beers. Sophomore Annie Giannone gave IC a seven-point advantage at 23-16 with 6:24 to go, but the Highlanders answered with back-to-back baskets to pull to within three. At the midway point of the frame, junior Julie Yacovoni netted consecutive fastbreak layups to push Ithaca's lead back out to seven at 27-20. Ithaca's largest lead of the half, 30-22, came on a jumper from Giannone at the 2:06 mark and the Bombers went into halftime with a 31-24 edge.

Eight different players scored in the half, led by seven from Tunick.

Ithaca quickly went up by a 33-24 margin on a jumper from Yacovoni, but Houghton connected on consecutive 3-pointers to make the score 33-30 with 8:11 remaining. The Bombers would answer with a 13-2 run over the next 6:20 to build a 46-32 cushion. Houghton called a timeout in an attempt to stall the Ithaca offense and regroup, and it worked, as the Highlanders responded with six straight points. Ithaca ended the quarter with a pair of free throws from senior Shayna Gaskins and a three by Tunick to take a 51-40 lead to the final quarter of play.

The Bombers blew the game open in the fourth as they outscored Houghton, 13-1, over a 3:32 stretch to mount a 64-42 edge. Ithaca would maintain its 20-point lead for the remainder of the period and finished off the contest with a 74-48 win. IC shot 8-for-17 in the fourth and notched five blocks, three of which came from freshman Cassidy O'Malley.

Giannone led the Bombers with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Yacovoni added 11 points with four steals and three blocks, while Tunick chipped in 10 points and three 3-pointers.

Ricchiuti tallied eight points and five boards, while Beers and Gaskins each had six points. Sophomore Meghan Mazzella grabbed five rebounds and classmate Meghan Pickell scored four points.

The Bombers shot 27-for-69 in the game (39.1-percent) and went 15-for-18 at the free throw line (83.3%). Ithaca also recorded a season-high 10 blocked shots and forced 27 Houghton turnovers (14 on steals), which led to 19 points.

Ithaca awaits the results of Stevens Institute of Technology to determine the host site for next weekend's Empire 8 Tournament. Stevens plays St. John Fisher tomorrow night and Nazareth on Saturday afternoon in Hoboken.