Women's Basketball | 1/26/2010 8:11:00 PM

Click for Box Score

ALFRED, NY -- The RIT women's basketball team was defeated by Alfred University, 76-74 in Empire 8 action on Tuesday night. The loss drops the Tigers to 8-8 overall and 2-5 in the Empire 8. #Danielle Furman (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport) led RIT with 23 points. (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius)Brianna O'Dell (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenedehowa) added 22 points while (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius)Sharon Dennis (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool)# added 13 rebounds, three blocks and three assists.  Dennis became RIT's all-time leader in blocked shots.

Dennis now has 67 blocks on the season, and 152 for her career, breaking the previous mark of 149, held by Margot Sandy (Grand Blanc, MI/Grand Blanc), who played from 2003-07,

The first half saw RIT trail by eight points in latter moments of the half. Danielle Furman (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport) cut that lead to three points with a pair of buckets inside the final minute which cut the Saxons lead to 33-30 at the half.

RIT shot 38.9 percent from the floor in the first half on 14-of-36 shooting. The Tigers were 3-for-11 from behind the three point line and committed 10 turnovers.

Furman led the Tigers with 12 first-half points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor. She made two of RIT's three three pointers and added two steals and dished out an assist.

Furman's jumper with 18:05 in the second half gave RIT a one-point lead. Her three with 16:05 to play in the second half gave RIT their largest lead of the game at five points.

With 9:53 remaining Alfred held a five point lead. That is until Brianna O'Dell (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenedehowa) drained two straight three pointers giving the Tigers a one point lead at 58-57. She made a third straight bucket to give RIT a three point lead.

The Saxons went on a 14-6 run taking a five point lead with 3:51 remaining in regulation on a bucket by Hannah Meier.

RIT ran off six straight points to retake the lead from Alfred. Furman scored four of the six points and O'Dell gave the Tigers a 72-71 lead on a layup with 1:39 remaining.

With Alfred leading 73-72,  Alfred's Courtney Lincoln fouled O'Dell with 42 seconds remaining. She made both free throws giving RIT a 74-73 lead.

Lincoln scored on Alfred's next possession to give Alfred a 75-74 lead with 25 seconds remaining. She made it a two point lead with a free throw for a 76-74 final.

RIT shot 41.4 percent from the floor on 29-of-70 shooting. The Tigers committed 16 turnovers which led to nine Alfred points.

The Tigers return to action on Friday, January 29 at Utica. Tip-off is at 6 pm in Utica, New York.