Jackie Malley delivered a career-high 27 points to lead a short-handed St. Lawrence University women's basketball team to an 80-72 victory over Ithaca at Burkman Gymnasium.

The win allowed the Saints to split the weekend series and improve to 10-6 overall and 5-4 in Liberty League play, an important result for postseason seeding as they continue through their conference schedule.

"It was a gutsy performance by a team that has been facing a number of personnel challenges," said Saints head coach Dan Roiger. "We have so many people playing out of position and giving up size everywhere, but they just kept battling and making plays.  Jackie got it going from the arc early and then we were able to attack the basket and get to the line where we capitalized.  It was a great ballgame and we had the final run, and then had good execution offensively and defensively in the final minute."

After receiving her commemorative 1,000^th point ball prior to the game – honoring her achieving the marker last weekend at St. Lawence – Malley caught fire early, knocking down four three-pointers in the first quarter. She went 4-6 from the arc in the first. Ithaca answered with similar sharpshooting, keeping the St. Lawrence lead slim at 22-21 through one.

Norah Neisz opened the second quarter with back-to-back threes, while Malley added another to help the Saints maintain control. A late layup by Malley gave the Saints a 42-37 advantage at halftime. St. Lawrence shot an astounding 66 per cent from the arc in the game's opening half, largely led by performances from Niesz and Malley.

Ithaca surged early in the third quarter, but free throws from Izzy Caron and Hannah Van Dyke steadied the Saints. Malley hit another three, and Mason Baker-Schlendering scored off a rebound as the Bombers' pressure defense kept the game tight. The teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 60-60.



Ithaca briefly took a four-point lead early in the final period, but Stevie Bannon answered with two layups in the paint. Malley's final three-pointer put the Saints ahead, and free throws from Van Dyke, Bannon, and Caron sealed the victory as Ithaca struggled offensively down the stretch.

The small bench resulted in a ton of offensive looks Saints guards, and they made the most of their opportunities. On top of Malley's 27 points, Niesz finished the game with 19, which also was a career-best mark. Stevie Bannon posted 15 off the bench, beating her previous career high by two points.

St. Lawrence will next travel east to face crosstown rival Clarkson on Tuesday before returning home for a weekend series against Vassar and Bard.