ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 15 Ithaca College women's basketball team will begin its quest for a fourth consecutive Liberty League championship this Friday evening at 6 p.m. as the Bombers are the No. 1 seed and will host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Ben Light Gymnasium for a semifinal matchup.

COVERAGE

VIDEO (ICTV) | LIVE STATS

VIDEO (YOUTUBE W/ RADIO CALL)

THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Tuesday, February 21

RPI beat St. Lawrence, 76-71 (OT)
Vassar beat Union, 73-57

Friday, February 24

Vassar (18-8) vs. Skidmore (20-5) – TBA
RPI (14-12) vs. Ithaca (22-3) – 6 p.m.

Sunday, February 26

Championship game at highest remaining seed – TIME TBA

RECORD VS. THE FIELD

Ithaca went 5-1 this season against the teams remaining in the Liberty League Tournament.

The Bombers swept RPI, 62-45 and 59-39.

IC also swept Skidmore, 73-61 and 52-49.

Ithaca's only loss in the Liberty League this season came at the hands of Vassar, 75-71, in the regular season finale on February 18. The Bombers won the first matchup, 69-31.

INSIDE LOOK AT ITHACA

The Bombers rolled through their schedule this season and were on a 16-game winning streak until last Saturday at Vassar. IC's only other two losses of the year were to nationally ranked teams – Scranton and Rochester.

Ithaca is also undefeated at home this season with a perfect 11-0 record, winning by and average margin of 21.6 points per game.

The Bombers score 66.3 points per contest and allow just 49.7. IC shoots over 40% from the field and holds its opposition to 33% and outrebounds its counterparts by 8.1 a contest.

Seven players have scored more than 150 points this season, led by Emily Dorn's 238 for an average of 10.8 per game. Natalie Smith ranks second on the team with 9.3 points a game, while Lindsey Albertelli and Camryn Coffey both over 8.0 points. Hannah Polce and Cara Volpe, along with Annabella Yorio will be factors on the offense end as well.

Defensively, Dorn, Albertelli and Yorio combined for 18.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks down low. Smith, Polce, Coffey and Volpe have a combined 115 steals on the season.

The Bombers will also receive contributions from Brady Lynch, Graycen Dubin, Shae Sabino and Anya Watkins, who have all played in 17 games or more this year.

SCOUTING RPI

The Engineers are the No. 4 seed in the tournament after a 10-8 mark in league play. RPI has won five straight contests after losing its previous six heading into the semifinals. RPI scores 60.5 points a game and owns a plus 3.0-point differential this season.

Ashlyn O'Neil averages 10.6 points a game in 19 contests, while Nicole DaPra and Heather Converse will play a factor on both ends of the court. DaPra scores 9.0 points a game, to go along with 6.7 rebounds, while Converse adds 8.5 points and 7.9 boards.

Lolo Reynolds runs the offense with 83 assists on the season and 7.0 points. Reynolds is also tops on the team with 39 steals. Marley Mueller and Brielle Sharry also average over 6.0 points a contest.

POTENTIAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHUP

The other semifinal features No. 2 Skidmore and No. 3 Vassar. That game will be played at Skidmore on Friday with a gametime still TBA.

Skidmore has only lost to Ithaca this season within the Liberty League and has won nine of its last 10 game heading into the weekend.

The Thoroughbred outscored their opponents by more than 12 points per game as they average 63.7 and allowed 51.2. Skidmore is a force on the boards, averaging nearly 10 more rebounds a game than their counterparts.

There isn't a single player on the team that scores in double digit points per game. In fact, nine players contribute at least 5.1 points per contest, led by 8.4 points from Julia Blanck, who also leads the team with 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

Andi Levitz adds 8.0 points, while Emily Plage, Amelia Medolla, Sarah Chambers and Kate McCarney all score over 7.0 per outing.

Vassar enters Friday with a 13-2 mark over its past 15 games with the only two losses coming at the hands of Skidmore. The Brewers scored 66.5 points a game and allow 60.1, but over the last 15 games, they have outscored their opponents by 15.1 points over the last 15 contests.

Alex Lee and Julia Harvey are the top two offensive players with 10.9 and 10.3 points per game, while Tova Gelb and Sierra McDermed both add 8.4 and 8.3 points. Eliza Srinivasan and Bella Tawney combined for 12.0 a contest.

Those six players also average at least 3.4 rebounds a game, led by 4.9 from Gelb, while Srinivasan averages more than 5.0 assists a game.