Women's Basketball | 3/6/2018 2:05:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT (23-6) women's basketball team will play The University of Rochester in the Third Round of the 2018 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship on Friday, March 9 at 5 p.m. at LeFrak Gymnasium on the campus of Amherst College in Amherst, Mass. The winner advances to the Sectional Final and will face the winner between top-ranked and defending national champion Amherst College and Montclair State on Saturday, March 10 at 6 p.m. Saturday's winner advances to the 2018 NCAA Final Four.

The Tigers advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in the 31-year history of the program after wins over University of New England in the first round, and The College of New Jersey in the second-round last weekend.  RIT won its first NCAA Tournament game last Friday, 76-63 over UNE. Jessica Glaz (Rockaway Beach, NY/Scholars Academy) led RIT with 20 points, becoming RIT's all-time leading scorer in program history. Cori Okada (Fullerton, CA/Troy) tallied 24 points and dished out four assists, while Amanda Olsen (Glen Mills, PA/Archmere Academy) grabbed 10 rebounds.

Okada drained a 3-pointer with 41 seconds remaining in Saturday's second round game that proved to be the game-winner, in a 79-76 victory over TCNJ. The Tigers rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second half to earn the historic win. Okada became the 10th player in program history to score 1,000 career points. She finished with a game-high 25 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter. Glaz tallied 15 points, while Sabrina Wolfe (Troy, NY/Troy) chipped in 12 points and five rebounds.     

RIT comes into the Friday's game with a 23-6 record. The 23 wins are a single-season program record. RIT is averaging 71.1 points per game, while allowing 57.4 points per contest. The Tigers are shooting 42.7 percent as a team from the floor, and 33.5 percent from beyond the arc. RIT is averaging 39.1 rebounds per contest.
 
Glaz leads RIT in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game. The program's all-time leading scorer, (1,489 points) Glaz is second on the team in assists, averaging 2.3 per contest, and leads the team with 2.1 made 3-point field goals per contest. Okada is second in scoring, averaging 13.4 points per game. She leads the team in assists, averaging 4.0 per game, and is second, averaging 1.6 steals per game.
 
Tara Lynch (Green Township, NJ/Newton) is third on the team in scoring (12.2 PPG), and is third in field goal percentage (46.0 percent). Lynch became the ninth player in program history to score 1,000 points on Feb. 6 versus Ithaca. She leads the team, shooting 82.6 percent from the foul line. Freshman Sabrina Wolfe (Troy, NY/Troy) is fourth on the team in scoring (10.7 PPG), and second in rebounding (5.0 RPG). Senior Amanda Olsen (Glen Mills, PA/Archmere Academy) leads the team in rebounding (6.6 RPG), while classmate Sydney Frank (Haverford, PA/Friends' Central) leads the team in steals (1.7 SPG).

University of Rochester advanced to the Sectional Round after home wins over Stevens and Marymount University in the first and second rounds last weekend. Alexandra Leslie tallied 16 points, while Lizzy Atkinson chipped in 12 points in a 69-57 win over Stevens in the opening round. Leslie had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in a 53-42 win over Marymount College in the second round Saturday. Lauren Deming tallied 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Rochester enters Friday's game with a 23-4 record. The Yellowjackets have won seven straight games, outscoring their opponents by an average of 66-50 over that span. Rochester enters Friday averaging 68.8 points per game, while allowing 56.3 per contest. The Yellowjackets are shooting 40.3 percent from the floor and 29.2 percent from behind the arc.

Leslie leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per contest. She is tied for the team-lead in rebounds, averaging 7.4 caroms per game. Deming is second on the team, averaging 13.2 points, and is tied with Leslie in rebounding, grabbing 7.4 per game. Brynn Laurer leads the team with 3.0 assists per game.

Rochester is 25-1 all time versus RIT. The Yellowjackets beat RIT 78-68 on Jan. 2 on the campus of Rochester. The Tigers pulled to within two points inside the final five minutes of the game on a layup by Okada with 4:33 to play. Okada led the Tigers with 23 points. Lynch (15), Glaz (13) and Wolfe (12) each scored in double figures. Leslie and Deming each had doubles-doubles. Leslie finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Deming scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
 
Amherst College enters the weekend 29-0 overall and is the defending Division III National Champion. The Mammoths have won 62 straight games, including victory over Becker and Saint Joseph's (Me.) in the first and second rounds last weekend. Amherst beat Becker 61-12 in the first round, and defeated Saint Joseph's 53-47 in the second round. The 12 points allowed last Friday is a Division III Tournament record for fewest points allowed in a game. The Mammoths enter the weekend averaging 61.1 points per game, while allowing just 38.2 points per contest. Amherst is shooing 43.0 percent as a team, and average 39.3 rebounds per game. RIT and Amherst have never played.
 
Montclair State advanced to the Sectional Round with wins over The College at Old Westbury and Gettysburg last weekend. The Red Hawks enter the weekend 25-3 overall and average 65.2 points per game. Montclair State allows 52.1 points per game, and are shooting 43.3 percent as a team. RIT has never played Montclair State.

Ticket prices are $7 for adults and $4 for students, senior citizens and children. Tickets can be purchased at the door beginning one hour prior to game time.