BUFFALO, NY – The RIT (6-3) women's basketball team closed out the 2014 calendar year with a 74-66 loss at Buffalo State (4-4) on Saturday afternoon. Despite the loss, the 6-3 record for the Tigers is tied for the best nine-game start for RIT in program history.
 
Ashlynn Palmitesso (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley) led RIT with 13 points, while Sarah Wolcott (Cohocton, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) added 10 points. Maria Edwards (Forrest Hill, MD/The John Carroll School) and Sydney Frank (Haverford, PA/Friends' Central) each tallied nine points for the Tigers who shot 33.3 percent from floor on 23-of-69 shooting. RIT made just 3-of-21 from behind the arc and were 17-of-26 from the foul line.

RIT fell behind by 12 points in the first half when Buffalo State's Olivia Luciani drained a 3-pointer with a little over nine minutes to play in the half. RIT rebounded and was able to get the Buffalo State lead to four points at halftime, trailing 40-36 at the break. The Tigers shot 38.2 percent from the floor in the first half on 13-of-34 shooting. RIT got back into the game despite going 0-for-8 from behind the arc. Wolcott led the Tigers with 10 first-half points.
 
Buffalo State opened the second half with a quick 6-0 burst, taking a 46-36 lead when Jordan Yastremski converted an old fashioned three point play. Edwards broke the Bengals run with her three on RIT's next possession, cutting the lead to 46-39. Julia Bender (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) scored off a fast break for RIT making it a 46-41 Buffalo State lead.

Four straight points by Buffalo State extended the lead back to 50-41 before a three pointer from Amanda Olsen (Glen Mills, PA/Archmere Academy) off an assist from Taylor Burns (Rochester, NY/Greece Odyssey) cut the lead to 50-44 at the 16:03 mark. After a Bengals turnover, Burns laid the ball in off a feed from Palmitesso, making it 50-46 Buffalo State with 15:10 to play.

The Bengals would push their lead back up nine points on two separate occasions midway through the second half, but RIT would keep fighting, cutting the lead to five points both times. The first on a free throw by Palmitesso at the 14:15 mark of the half, the second on a jumper with 12:57 to play.

RIT went scoreless for nearly three minutes of the second half when Palmitesso broke the drought with her bucket with 7:04 to play that cut the Bengals lead to 62-55. On Buffalo State's next possession, Burns made the steal and started RIT on the break. Frank laid the ball in off a feed from Palmitesso, cutting the lead to 62-57 with 6:10 to play.

The Tigers would get no closer despite the Bengals going scoreless over a 3:24 span in the second half. Keynote Edward's layup with 1:25 to play broke the drought and gave Buffalo State a 71-61 lead.

RIT tried fouling down the stretch, but Buffalo State made its free thows and held on for the eight-point win. The Tigers are 0-8 all time versus Buffalo State.

Buffalo State held a 58-38 rebounding edge. The Tigers scored 30 points in the paint and 17 points off of 22 Bengals turnovers. 
  
RIT returns to action on Friday, Jan. 2 when the Tigers face Skidmore College at 6 p.m. in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.