ITHACA, N.Y. -- Second-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology (21-5) rallied to beat third-seeded Utica (19-7), the defending Empire 8 champion, in the semifinals of the Empire 8 Championship Tournament. Stevens, who will face top-seeded Ithaca (18-8) in Saturday's final, lost a 12-point second-half lead before re-taking the lead for good with 4:26 left.
Paige Armstrong scored 17 points and Brittany Fuller added 14 for Stevens. Fuller, who hit the go-ahead lay-up, added 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. Armstrong pulled down 10 rebounds.
The Ducks opened up a 36-24 lead early in the second half before the Pioneers ripped off a 16-5 run to take the lead. Sophomore forward Jessica Berry connected on back-to-back three-point baskets for the final six points of the run.
Following Fuller's go-ahead basket, Armstrong connected on two free throws to put Stevens up by three. The Pioneers twice cut the lead back to one -- first on free throws by Devon Croll, then on free throws by Mallory Davis -- but missed a three-pointer with 32 seconds on left on their final possession that would have put them ahead.
Davis led Utica with 13 points off the bench. Croll added 12 and Berry -- the Empire 8's leading scorer -- was held to 10. She led the Pioneers with nine rebounds.
Stevens, who handed Utica the Pioneers' only three losses since Jan. 6, received 10 rebounds from Dani Dudek. Dudek, the Empire 8 Player of the Year, was held to seven points and three assists.
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