POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team wrapped up regular season play with a matchup against Vassar College on the road, in which was a battle of the top ranked teams within the Liberty League. In one of the toughest games of the season, the Bombers were able to pull through in overtime with a 78-74 win. The win locks the Bombers into the number one seed in the Liberty League as the playoffs are set to begin. Ithaca ends the regular season with an 18-7 record overall, and 17-1 record in conference play. The Bombers enter the playoffs as the hottest team in the conference, winning their last 15 games in a row.
Emma Waite opened the scoring, and very quickly the Bombers found themselves ahead 6-0 early in the game. The defense was stout early on, as the Brewers didn't score until almost four minutes into the game, at the 6:05 mark in the first quarter.
Zoraida Icabalceta led the Bombers offense, as she had ten points on 2-of-2 shooting from behind the arc in the quarter. Sierra McDermed led the way with six points for Vassar. Ithaca took an 18-12 lead into the second quarter.
June Dickson opened the second quarter with a steal leading to an easy fastbreak layup for her first points of the game. Tova Gelb had the first basket of the quarter for the Brewers with an and-one, quickly answered by the Bombers with an and-one for
Anya Watkins. McDermed notched nine points in the quarter, totaling 15 in the first half. Vassar took their first lead of the game with 1:02 left in the half, but that was quickly erased by a
Tori Drevna three-pointer with three seconds left to tie the game at 30 going into halftime.
Both teams came out of the break firing from deep, with Ithaca hitting three three-pointers and Vassar hitting four. Gelb's trey 2:58 into the quarter was the first three for the team in the game. Teammate Julia Harvey would go on to knock down three more three-pointers in the quarter. Waite had two threes of her own, keeping the Bombers close, as they went into the fourth down by four, 53-49.
The final frame began with a basket from McDermed. Drevna hit two more three-pointers, and after Dickson and Watkins buckets the Brewers called timeout, as they were down by three. Gelb had two quick baskets out of the timeout, then Tash Thompson hit her first three-pointer of the game to force a Bombers timeout. After clutch free-throws down the stretch by McDermed and Harvey, Vassar led by three points. Icabalceta was fouled on a three-pointer by Harvey with under one second left, and knocked down all three free-throws to send the game into overtime tied up at 69. The junior guard nearly won the game as the clock expired, stealing the ball of the ensuing possession and throwing up a shot, but it was ruled to have left her hand after the buzzer.
IC went on an 8-5 run in overtime, with strong play from Watkins and Icabalceta. The Brewers called timeout with 14 seconds remaining, dialing up a three-point play. McDermed got a good look from behind the arc, but missed the shot. Watkins grabbed a tough rebound and would go on to hit a clutch free-throw to make it a two-possession game. The clock ran out on the Brewers, and the Bombers were able to escape with a 78-74 win on the road for their regular season finale.
Icabalceta was the leading scorer for Ithaca, with 21 points to go along with four rebounds and five assists. Watkins contributed with a double-double, 20 points and 16 rebounds. Drevna added 15 points, with five three-pointers. McDermed and Gelb led the way for Vassar, with 22 points each. Harvey finished with 20 points to go along with three steals.
Both teams will continue their push for the Liberty League title, as they are the top two seeds as the playoffs begin. Ithaca will host a semifinals matchup on Friday evening in Ben Light Gymnasium.
