Women's Basketball | 2/13/2009 8:51:00 PM
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ROCHESTER, NY – Charley Scott McGrail (Batavia, NY/Notre Dame) hit a lay-up with six seconds left in regulation, lifting the RIT women's basketball team (4-18, 1-12 Empire 8) to a dramatic 63-62 win over Stevens (17-5, 9-4 Empire 8) at Clark Gym on Friday evening. The win was RIT's first since Dec. 13, 2008, snapping a 14-game losing streak.
Dani Dudek hitting a jumper in the lane with 29 seconds left to give Stevens its first lead of the game, 62-61. On the ensuing possession, RIT escaped a Stevens trap and set up inside. #Sharon Dennis (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool)# (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) faked a shot and found Scott-McGrail all alone under the bucket.
Stevens came back down and got a decent shot off, but hit front rim as time ran out.
Dennis led RIT with 23 points and a career-best 20 boards, along with three blocks. Scott-McGrail added 17 points, 11 coming in the second half. #Kelly Votolato (Raynham, MA/Cranston East)# (Raynham, MA/Cranston East) added a team-best five assists to go along with six rebounds.
Reigning Empire 8 Player of the Year Dani Dudek led Stevens with 24 points, eight boards and four assists. Melissa Collier and Cindy Hassler added 11 points apiece.
Stevens tied the game a few times midway through the second half, but RIT responded each time, going on quick bursts to go back up. RIT led by as much as eight in the second half.
RIT turned the ball over just four times in the second half, and out-rebounded Stevens, 47-44. RIT shot 39 percent from the field in the game, holding Stevens to 33 percent shooting.
RIT played a determined, tough first half, holding Stevens to just 24 percent shooting from the field en route to a 31-24 lead at halftime.
The Tigers opened the game on an 8-0 run and led by as much as 12, 27-15 on a jumper by #Anne Wapshare (Blasdell, NY/Blasdell)# (Blasdell, NY/Blasdell) with 5:08 left in the half. Stevens responded by scoring the next seven points, cutting the RIT lead to 27-22 on a pair of free throws by Dudek. #Danielle Furman (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport)# (Coudersport, NY/Coudersport) ended the half by hitting a buzzer-beating jumper to give the Tigers a seven-point lead into the break.
Stevens leads the all-time series, 3-1. RIT avenged a 100-48 loss to the Ducks in Hoboken, N.J. on Jan. 23.
The Tigers return to action on Sunday, as they host Hartwick in an Empire 8 conference contest starting at 2 p.m. RIT will be honoring senior Kelly Votolato (Raynham, MA/Cranston East) before the start of the game.
