ROCHESTER, NY -- The RIT (14-7, 7-5 Liberty League) women's basketball team defeated Clarkson University (11-9, 6-5 Liberty League) 78-63 in a critical Liberty League game from Clark Gym Friday evening. Sophomore guard Cori Okada (Fullerton, CA/Troy) dished out a RIT single-game record 12 assists for the second straight contest.

With RIT President Bill Destler serving as a special guest assistant coach, RIT broke open a close game by out-scoring the Golden Knights 26-13 over the final 11 minutes. The Tigers moved into fourth in the league standings a half of game ahead of Clarkson and Vassar.

Tonight was also National Women in Sports Day, as the Tigers hosted several young women from various schools in the Rochester City School District.

RIT shot 46.3 percent from the floor on 31-of-67 shooting. The Tigers were 5-of-19 from behind the arc, and went 11-of-13 from the foul line. Tara Lynch (Green Township, NJ/Newton) was one of five Tigers to score in double-figures, finishing with 21 points and nine rebounds. Ashlynn Palmitesso (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley) also scored 21 points, while Okada, Jessica Glaz (Rockaway Beach, NY/Scholars Academy) and Julia Bender (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) each scored 10 points for RIT, who have now won four straight games.

"When you have five scorers in double figures, you are doing something right offensively," said RIT head coach Amy Reed. "I thought we defended well, especially in the second half."

Okada also had 12 assists in RIT's win over Vassar on Saturday.

Devin Sorell led Clarkson with 17 points, with just four in the second half. Madison Shea added 13 points, while Molly Stewart and Stephanie Grobe each scored 12 points for the Golden Knights who shot 38 percent from the floor.

RIT led 22-17 after the first quarter, tallying the final five points to take the lead. Okada drained a 3-pointer with 1:12 to play, and Amanda Olsen (Glen Mills, PA/Archmere Academy) scored with seven seconds to play in the quarter to give the Tigers a five-point edge.

Clarkson came back in the second quarter, taking a 27-24 lead on a 3-pointer from Stewart with 6:32 to play in the half. Stewart scored again to give the Golden Knights a 29-24 lead with 4:14 to play. Glaz drained a 3-pointer with 1:34 to play to complete a 10-2 run and give RIT a 34-31 lead with 1:15 to play. Stewart laid the ball in with six seconds to play to tie the score at 34-34.

Leading 54-50 at the end of the third quarter, RIT opened the final quarter on a 7-1 run, taking a 61-51 lead on an old-fashioned 3-point play by Palmitesso. A Lynch layup with 2:54 to play in the game gave the Tigers their largest lead of the game to that point, at 72-61. The Tigers shot 53.3 percent from the floor in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

Clarkson held a slight 44-42 rebounding edge. The Tigers scored 40 points in the paint, and 13 points off of 13 Clarkson turnovers.

RIT is right back in action on Saturday, when the Tigers host St. Lawrence at 2 p.m. on the floor of Clark Gym.