Score: RIT 87, Elmira College 53
Records: RIT (7-1), Elmira (3-6)
Location: Speidel Gymnasium – Elmira, NY

Elmira, NY -- A dismal third-quarter performance by the Elmira College women's basketball team allowed the visiting Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers to turn a double-digit halftime lead into a blowout 87-53 victory Wednesday afternoon at Speidel Gymnasium.

Trailing by 16 early in the second quarter, the Soaring Eagles gathered a bit of the momentum and pieced together a 16-11 run to end the first half. Meghan Loya '16 began the run with a jumper and scored five of the 16 points during the run. EC reduced the deficit to as little as eight points on three occasions, the last on a shot from Emily Green '18 with 1:41 left in the first half.

Loya led all scorers with 13 points at the half after shooting 6-for-11 from the field.

While it appeared the Purple and Gold were prepared to continue to trim the RIT lead heading out of the locker room, the Elmira offense went cold in the third quarter. The Soaring Eagles shot a lackluster 2-for-15 from the field and coughed the ball up eight times. The Tigers outscored EC 21-4 in the period to take a 66-38 advantage through the first three quarters of play. RIT would extend the lead to as much as 40 points in the final quarter.

Second-year guard Jenn Gale '18 performed admirably in the fourth quarter despite the looming deficit. She made all three of her field goals, including a three-pointer, en route to a season-high nine points, all in the final period.

Inside the Box

• EC shot 46.9 percent (15-for-32) from the field in the first half, but only a mere 25.9 percent (7-for-27) in the second half.
• RIT finished with a 56.7 field-goal percentage (34-for-60).
• The Tigers were 8-for-23 from three-point range while Elmira was only 3-for-15 from beyond the arc.
• Loya led all Soaring Eagles with 13 points and seven rebounds, the latter marking a game high.
• Gale finished 3-for-3 from the field and netted a season-high nine points.
• Allie Olsen '16 tied her season high with five assists.
• Five Tigers scored double-figures, led by Jessica Glaz and Amanda Olsen with 14 points apiece.
• Although RIT out-rebounded EC 35-to-32, the Soaring Eagles held an 11-to-6 advantage in offensive boards.

News and Notes

• Danielle Cleary '18 finished without double-digit points for only the second time this season; Cleary's seven points marked the fewest she has scored in a game since she netted seven against Houghton College on February 17, 2015.
• EC is now 2-6 in games where Cleary has failed to reach double-figures since the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
• Loya's 13 points are a season high, giving her double-digit points in back-to-back games for the first time in her career.
• EC is now 29-11 all-time against RIT.

Up Next
Elmira College continues its four-game homestand with its Empire 8 Conference opener on Monday, January 4th, against Stevens Institute of Technology at 4:00 p.m.