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PITTSFORD, NY -- It was a tale of two halves this afternoon at St. John Fisher College. The RIT women's basketball team led by 13 points at the half, but were outscored 47-21 in the second half, losing to the Cardinals 76-63 in Empire 8 action on Saturday.
The Tigers came out firing in the first half, shooting 53.6% from the floor on 15-of-26 shooting. RIT was 6-of-11 from behind the arc and made six free throws.
St. John Fisher led by a slim four-point margin at the 12:22 mark of the first half, but RIT responded, outscoring the Cardinals 31-14 over the final 12 minutes of the half to take a 42-29 lead into the lockerroom.
Seven Tigers scored in the first half led by #
Leslie Havens (Wayland, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) and
Kayla Wheeler (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa)# who each scored 10 points. Wheeler added nine rebounds and Havens dished out three assists.
The second half started with a quick 7-0 run by the Cardinals in the first 3:12, that cut the Tigers lead down to six points.
#
Anne Wapshare (Blasdell, NY/Immaculata Academy)#'s three-pointer with 16:25 to play broke the run by St. John Fisher, and gave the Tigers a nine point lead, their largest lead since the start of the second half.
Over the next 3:25 St. John Fisher erased the nine point deficit and took a five-point lead on a three pointer by Jessica Krzemien. It was the Cardinal's first lead since early in the first half.
RIT responded, scoring three straight points to pull within two points of the Cardinals on a made free throw by freshman #
Mallory Apperson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove)#. That came with 11:11 remaining in regulation.
From that point on the Cardinals outscored RIT 26-15. RIT shot just 23.8% in the second half, making just 5-of-21 shots from the floor.
Havens finished with a team-high 19 points, while Wheeler finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks for the Tigers who fall to 3-13 overall and 1-6 in the Empire 8.
RIT returns to action on Friday, January 28 with an Empire 8 road contest at Alfred University. Tip-off is at 6 pm.
