Facing an 11^th-ranked Ithaca team that has gone 14-0 since the calendar turned to 2023, the St. Lawrence University women's basketball team faced a tough challenge on Saturday afternoon at Burkman Gymnasium.

At halftime, it looked like an upset might be brewing as the Saints held a 31-28 lead, but the Bombers pulled away with a 28-7 run in the third quarter to beat the Saints, 72-53.

The first quarter was all defense for both teams, as Ithaca finished the quarter with a 12-11 lead. Both teams shot 27% from the field.

The second quarter was back-and-forth, with neither team building more than a five-point lead at any point. The Saints led at the break, thanks to 61% shooting, including a 4-for-5 performance from 3-point range, in the second quarter.

Despite the success in the first half, Saints head coach Dan Roiger never believed the Saints were outplaying the Bombers.

"We didn't outplay them, we outshot them in the first half," said Roiger. "They weren't making shots, and we were."



"We wounded the best team in the league," continued Roiger. "They slayed us, but we wounded them on the way down."

Camryn Coffey led Ithaca with 16 points and six rebounds off the bench. Hannah Polce added 14 points, and Emily Dorn scored 11 points grabbed eight rebounds for the Bombers, who improved to 21-2 overall and 16-0 in the Liberty League.

Jackie Malley led the Saints with 13 points, 10 of which came in the first half; Shannon Rhone scored 10.

St. Lawrence, now 13-9 overall and 9-7 in the Liberty League, is in fourth place in the conference standings, one game ahead of RPI going into the final weekend of the season.

Next weekend the Saints play at Skidmore and Union on the road.