ROCHESTER, NY – Freshman Amanda Olsen (Glen Mills, PA/Archmere Academy) hit a jumper with three seconds to play in regulation that proved to be the game winner as the RIT (10-11, 4-8 Liberty League) women's basketball team defeated Skidmore College (13-7, 9-2 Liberty League) 58-56 on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers erased an eight-point halftime deficit to win their second straight game.

"Our team showed great character this weekend," said RIT head coach Amy Reed. "We fell behind but found a way to make a run." Our goal is to finish the season strong and that's what we did this weekend."

RIT shot 33.3 percent from the floor on 20-of-60 shooting. The Tigers made 3-of-17 from behind the arc and made 15-of-21 from the foul line. Jessica Glaz (Rockaway Beach, NY/Scholars Academy) led the Tigers with 19 points. Olsen finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Merissa Maiorano (Rochester, NY/Pittsford Mendon) added 10 points and five rebounds.  

Angela Botiba led Skidmore with 12 points, while Amber Holgate tallied 12 points. Migle Vilunaite came off the bench to score 10 points and grab seven rebounds for the Thoroughbreds who shot 32.9 percent from the floor.
 
RIT fell behind 11 points early in the first half as the Thoroughbreds jumped out to a 13-2 lead on a layup by Botiba. The Tigers responded with a 12-0 run, taking a 14-13 lead on an Olsen jumper off a feed from Maiorano. Glaz scored six of the Tigers 12 points in the run, while Olsen had four.

Skidmore responded with an 8-0 run, taking a 20-14 lead on a basket by Holgate with 11:49 to play in the first half. Holgate gave the Thoroughbreds a 25-17 lead on her bucket off a feed from Catie Opfer with 10:01 to play. Ashlynn Palmitesso (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley) made a free throw late in the first half that cut the Thoroughbreds lead to 32-24 at halftime.

RIT shot 29.6 percent from the floor in the opening half led by Glaz and her eight points. Botiba, Vilunaite and Holgate each scored eight to pace Skidmore.
  
Skidmore would lead by as many as 13 points in the second half. Opfer gave the Thoroughbreds a 45-32 lead with 11:19 to play in her layup.

Ella Scheuerell gave Skidmore a six point lead with 5:45 to play. Glaz answered for the Tigers with her three with 4:25 to play, cutting the Skidmore lead to 54-51. Maiorano gave the Tiers their first lead of the second half when she converted a pair of free throws with 2:18 to play.

Botiba scored on Skidmore's next possession, making it 56-55 Thoroughbreds 1:25 to play in regulation. Each team had its chances down the stretch but could not convert.

Trailing 56-55, RIT called a play off a timeout. Skidmore disrupted the play, causing the ball to come loose on the floor. Both teams scrambled, but Sydney Frank (Haverford, PA/Friends' Central) scooped up the loose ball, found an open Olsen on the wing and she elevated and made the shot with three second to play giving the Tigers a 57-56 lead.

Taylor Burns (Rochester, NY/Greece Odyssey) stole the in bounds pass by Skidmore on their next possession. She made one of two free throws to seal the win for the Tigers.

RIT scored just 12 points in the paint, but 19 points off the bench. Skidmore held a slight 50-46 rebounding edge, getting 34 points in the paint.  

The Tigers return to action on Friday, Feb. 13 when the Tigers face Liberty League foe Vassar College at 6 p.m. in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.