Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—The No. 16/17 William Smith College basketball team wrapped up the regular season with a 68-51 Liberty League victory over Skidmore College. Graduate student guard Paula Foote (Sidney/Sidney, N.Y.) led three Herons in double digits with a game-high 16 points.

William Smith (22-2, 13-1) never trailed, but Skidmore, which could have earned the fourth seed in the Liberty League Tournament with a win, never gave up the fight. The Herons shot just 36.1 percent from the floor and committed 23 turnovers, but ruled the glass, collecting a season-high 57 caroms, to just 23 for the Thoroughbreds (13-12, 6-8). It’s the fifth highest single game rebounding total by a William Smith team and the most rebounds since the Herons grabbed 57 against Buffalo State on Jan. 13, 2004.

Senior forward Stephanie Czajkowski (Bishop Ludden/Syracuse, N.Y.) produced a double-double for the Herons on 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Junior guard Latasha Coney (Lyons/Lyons, N.Y.) also had a double-double on 12 points and 10 boards. Sophomore forward Erin Cunningham (Morris Knolls/Rockaway, N.J.) chipped in 12 points and seven caroms, while senior guard Marisa Vespa (Immaculate Heart/Watertown, N.Y.) added seven points, six assists, and a game-high four steals.

Junior guard Laurel Brown (Loomis Chaffee/S. Hamilton, Mass.) led three Thoroughbreds in double digits with 12 points, while sophomore forward Dana Leonard (Cooperstown/Cooperstown, N.Y.) and sophomore guard Sharlyn Harper (Holderness/New York, N.Y.) contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.

William Smith scored the first five points of the game and built a comfortable seven point cushion by the midway point of the first half. An 11-2 run late in the frame gave the Herons’ their largest advantage, 31-15, on their way to a 38-24 halftime lead. William Smith shot 40.5 percent from the floor before the break, while limiting Skidmore to just 32.1 percent.

The Herons scored the first nine points of the second half and 11 of the first 13 to build its largest lead of the day, 49-25, with 13:41 remaining. Foote had six points during the surge.

The Thoroughbreds managed to whittle their deficit down to 10 twice in the final four minutes, but William Smith was 11-of-12 from the free throw line in the last three minutes to lock up the win.

William Smith will host the Liberty League Tournament, Feb. 29 and March 1. The top seeded Herons will face fourth seeded Rensselaer on Friday night at 8 p.m.