Women's Basketball | 2/23/2017 1:30:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT women's basketball team (18-8) will vie for its first Liberty League Championship on Saturday, Feb. 25 as the No. 3 seed Tigers will host No. 4 seed Clarkson University (16-10) at 4 p.m. from Clark Gymnasium. Saturday's winner will earn an automatic bid to the 2017 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament.

Saturday will mark first time the RIT women's basketball team is hosting a conference championship game. It is also RIT's second straight Liberty League Championship game appearance.

RIT comes into Saturday 18-8 overall and has won four straight games, and eight of its last nine overall, outscoring its opponents 673-449 during that span. The Tigers advanced to the title game with a 62-45 win at No. 2 seed William Smith on Wednesday in the semifinals. RIT outscored the Herons 34-21 in the second half. Cori Okada (Fullerton, CA/Troy) led RIT with 18 points, including 12 in the second half.  Tara Lynch (Green Township, NJ/Newton) added 12 points and eight rebounds, and Jessica Glaz (Rockaway Beach, NY/Scholars Academy) chipped in nine points. Julia Bender (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) grabbed eight rebounds and had three steals to go along with five points.

RIT enters today as the top scoring team in the Liberty League, averaging 72.7 points per game. The Tigers lead the league in field goal percentage (43.2%), 3-point field goal percentage (34.9%) and 3-point field goals made per game (6.5).

Okada is fifth in the league in scoring (14.0), leads the league in assists (4.5) and is second in the league in field goal percentage (47.8%). Lynch is seventh in scoring (12.7) and leads the league in field goal percentage (49.3%). Glaz is ninth in scoring (12.5). 
 
Clarkson, the No. 4 seed, defeated No. 1 seed Skidmore College 75-63 in the other semifinal. Deven Sorell scored 22 points to lead five Golden Knights in double-figures. Stephanie Grobe and Madison Shea each tallied 13 points, while Molly Stewart scored 11 points off the bench for the Golden Knights.

Clarkson enters the title game having won eight of its last 10 games outscoring opponents 699-639 in that span. The Golden Knights are fourth in the Liberty League in scoring, averaging 62.2 points per game. The Golden Knights are fifth in field goal percentage (38.2%), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (29.9%) and seventh in 3-point field goals made (4.2). Defensively, Clarkson is third allowing 57.8 points per game. The Golden Knights are eighth in rebounding, grabbing 35.9 caroms per game.
 
Sorell is second in the league in scoring, averaging 16.2 points per game. Shea is third in assists (3.7) and leads the Liberty League averaging 2.7 steals per game.

Alyssia Marsal is fourth in assists (3.2), fifth in rebounding 7.8 and third in steals, swiping 2.5 per contest.
 
Clarkson is 26-12 all time versus RIT. RIT and Clarkson split the two regular season meetings with each team winning on its home court this season. RIT beat Clarkson 78-63 on Feb. 3 at Clark Gym. Lynch led RIT with 21 points, while Sorell led Clarkson with 18 points.

Today is a rematch of last year's Liberty League title game that Clarkson won 65-63 in Potsdam. Ashley Loggins led Clarkson with 26 points, while Amanda Olsen (Glen Mills, PA/Archmere Academy) led RIT with 17 points.

Video and live stats will be available for Saturday's game.