Score: Ithaca College 68 – Elmira College 60
Records: Ithaca (19-3, 11-2 E8), Elmira (6-15, 2-10 E8)
Location: Ben Light Gymnasium – Ithaca, N.Y.
 
ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's basketball team trailed by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter to Ithaca College, but a ferocious run by the Soaring Eagles made it just a two possession game with 1:20 remaining in regulation. Unfortunately for the Elmira women, the Bombers would hang on down the stretch and escape a late-season scare with a 68-60 victory.
 
Elmira came out of the gates strong this evening to take an early 5-0 lead in the first quarter. The Soaring Eagles maintained a lead for most of the opening 10 minutes of action, until Ithaca took a 16-13 lead with 1:59 to play, which turned into a 19-13 lead at the end of the quarter. Fueling EC's offense in the first quarter was Rachel Vespucci '19, who scored six of her 13 points.
 
Ithaca pushed its lead to double digits in the second quarter, 23-13, behind some stingy defense. The Bombers held Elmira scoreless for a 5:23 span starting in the first quarter all the way until Lindsey Heaton '19 knocked down a pair of free throws at the 7:31 mark of the second quarter.
 
Elmira pulled to within six points of Ithaca in the second, 23-17, but an 11-4 run by the Bombers gave the home squad its largest lead of the half, 36-21. Ithaca's 15-point lead would turn into a 12-point advantage heading into the halftime break.
 
The Ithaca lead hovered around 12 points for most of the third quarter, peaking as high as 17 and dipping as low as 10, as the Bombers marched in the fourth quarter with a comfortable 52-38 lead. Danielle Cleary '18 produced six of her 14 points in the quarter, and pulled down four of her game-high 14 boards as well.
 
In the fourth quarter, Ithaca extended its lead to 17 points in the first two minutes and only saw that advantage drop to 16 points, 62-46, with 5:47 left on the clock. However, this is when things started to become interesting.
 
Trailing by 16 points, Elmira staged a massive comeback with a 14-4 run over the next 4:27, capped by a 3-ball from Emily Green '18, to bring the Bomber lead to single digits at 66-60. Elmira spread out the scoring during the run, as five different players contributed with buckets. Leading the group was Lauren Franklin '20, who logged five of EC's 14 points.
 
Unfortunately for the Elmira women this would be as close as they would come, as EC was held scoreless for the final 1:20 of regulation, resulting in a 68-60 victory for the Bombers.
 
Turning Point
A 5:23 scoreless drought that spanned from the first quarter to the second played a large role in Elmira's eight-point setback. Elmira trailed by just three points, 16-13, with 1:59 to play in the first quarter, but was unable to find a bucket for nearly five-and-a-half minutes. Adding to Elmira's woes were 16 first-half turnovers, which turned into 17 points for the Bombers.  
 
Inside the Box Score

• Ithaca went 27-for-67 from the field (40.3%), while Elmira was 18-for-50 (36.0%).
• Both teams shots 25-percent from 3-point land; Ithaca was 3-for-12 and Elmira went 4-for-16.
• EC was solid from the free-throw line, knocking down 20-of-26 attempts (76.9%).
• The Bombers struggled from the charity stripe, connecting at a 55-percent clip (11-of-20).
• Elmira won the battle on the boards, 40-to-36.
• EC committed 27 turnovers, while Ithaca recorded 15.
• Ithaca racked up eight blocks, while Elmira finished with zero.
• Steals were also heavily in favor of Ithaca, 15-to-5.
• Green led all scorers with a game-high 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting (66.7%).
• Cleary logged a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
• Vespucci poured in 13 points and grabbed two boards.
• Franklin produced seven points and seven rebounds.
• Heaton scored five points and dished out a game-high eight assists.

 
News and Notes

• Ithaca swept the regular season series with tonight's eight-point win.
• Elmira's 36-percent shooting from the field is the team's highest rate since its win over Houghton on January 17th (36.1%).
• Tonight's game marked the third time this season EC has knocked down 20-or-more from the charity stripe.
• EC's 27 turnovers were a season high.
• Green's 17 points matched her second-highest scoring output of the year.
• Cleary's 14 rebounds tied her career high total, which was set back November 20, 2015 against Mount Union.
• Cleary logged her third double-double of the 2016-17 campaign.
• Heaton's eight assists matched her second-highest total of the season.

 
Up Next
Elmira returns to action this Thursday, February 9th, when the Soaring Eagles travel to Rochester, New York, to face the Golden Flyers of Nazareth College. Thursday's tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.