POTSDAM, NY -- The RIT (20-7) women's basketball team played in its first conference championship game Saturday afternoon as the No. 2 seed Tigers took on top-seed Clarkson University (22-5). Despite a furious second-half comeback, RIT fell to Clarkson, 65-63 in the Liberty League Women's Basketball Championship. The Golden Knights earn the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

Clarkson's Ashley Loggins scored the game-winning bucket with three seconds to play in regulation to send the Golden Knights to the tournament. Trailing 48-28 at the half, RIT came roaring back in the second half, tallying 35 points, including 25 in the third quarter.

"I am really proud of how hard we fought back in the second half," said RIT head coach Amy Reed. "It really was a tale of two halves. We made some adjustments at halftime and held them to 17 points in the second half."

Amanda Olsen (Glen Mills, PA/Archmere Academy) led RIT with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Jessica Glaz (Rockaway Beach, NY/Scholars Academy) finished with nine points, nine rebounds, four steals, two assists, and a block, while Tara Lynch (Green Township, NJ/Newton) scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds. RIT shot 45.8 percent from the floor on 27-of-59 shooting. The Tigers made just 3-of-14 from behind the arc, and went 6-of-7 from the foul line.

Olsen and Glaz were named to the Liberty League Championship All-Tournament Team.

Loggins led Clarkson with a game-high 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Devin Sorell added 18 points, while Stephanie Grobe added 15 points for the Golden Knights who shot 43.6 percent from the floor.

Clarkson dominated play in the first half, leading 26-15 after the first quarter and 48-28 at the half. The Golden Knights were on fire in the first half, hitting 63.3 percent from the floor. Loggins led Clarkson with 19 points, while Sorell added 16 and Grobe tallied nine points.

"We said in the beginning we couldn't allow Loggins and Sorell to take over," said Reed. "And unfortunately, they did just that."

RIT was 12-of-30 (40 percent) from the floor in the first half. Olsen led a balanced attack with nine points. Glaz added seven points, while Julia Bender (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) tallied six points.

The Tigers began pawing back in the third quarter, out scoring Clarkson 25-11. RIT opened the quarter on a 14-4 run, cutting the Clarkson lead to 52-42 on a bucket by Maria Edwards (Forrest Hill, MD/The Carroll School) with 6:07 to play. She finished with eight points, four rebounds and four assists. 

Loggins gave the Golden Knights a 57-44 lead with 4:05 to play in the quarter, extending Clarkson's lead back to 13 points. Olsen scored on RIT's next possession, cutting the lead to 57-46. Okada pulled RIT to within eight points on her 3-pointer with 3:12 to play in the quarter, cutting the lead to 59-47.

After another Clarkson miss, Olsen scored again with 2:33 to play, making it 57-51 Clarkson. Abby Judd (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland) pulled RIT the closest it had been since early in the game with her driving layup with 1:59 to play making it 57-53 Clarkson. Sorell added a layup for Clarkson with a little over a minute to play giving Clarkson a 59-53 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, Okada cut the Clarkson back to four points with her bucket. She got her shoulder around her defender and got into the lane, pulled up for the 10-foot jumper and drained it.

With 5:39 to play, Edwards made it 61-59 Clarkson with her bucket off the drive. The Tigers had three good looks at tying the game or taking the lead, but all three shots came off the rim.

Finally, with 2:36 to play, Edwards came through again. This time she got her shoulder around her defender and got into the lane. She pulled up for the runner and drained it tying the score at 61-61.

"Maria has been a huge part of our success not only this year, but in her four years," said Reed. "She truly knows how to lead, and I believe she reached her potential as a player."

With 1:28 to play and the score tied, Olsen had a good look to give the Tigers the lead. Her shot came up short and Okada committed the foul in the ensuing scrum for the rebound. Grobe made both free throws giving Clarkson a 63-61 lead.

On RIT's next possession, Okada found an open Olsen who drained the jumper tying the score at 63-63 with 1:06 to play. After both teams missed chances to take the lead, Loggins broke the deadlock with her bucket with three seconds to play.

RIT held a 34-33 rebounding edge, and had 12 assists on 27 baskets.

Despite the loss, RIT made tremendous strides in 2015-16. The Tigers set a school record with 20 wins, hosted and won their first Liberty League tournament game, and competed in the conference championship for the first time in program history.

"I am so proud of what this program has accomplished this year," said Reed. "I am excited about the young team we have coming back. If they can take up the mantle of leadership that Maria has established, we will continue to grow as a program."

RIT awaits a possible At-Large bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament. The selection show is Monday, February 29 at 2:30 p.m. Click the link HERE to view the show.