Box Score Box Score

GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith basketball team led by as many as 11 points in the second half, but had to rally to force overtime before Skidmore pulled away for an 88-82 Liberty League victory in Bristol Gym. The loss drops the Herons to 6-7, 1-1 in the conference, while the Thoroughbreds improve 5-7, 1-1.

Junior forward Kristen Kush made a jumper with 15:16 left in the second half to put William Smith up 52-41. Skidmore countered with an 11-2 run. Megan Gaugler capped the run with a pair of free throws, making it a 54-52 Heron lead. William Smith still clung to a 73-69 lead with 3:28 left in regulation, but Gaugler made a layup to halve the lead and after a Heron miss, Michela Ottati sank a 3-pointer to put Skidmore up 74-73.

Both teams suffered through a scoring draught that lasted more than a minute and a half. William Smith first-year guard Sasha Borenstein broke the teams out of their funk, hitting a 3 for a 76-74 lead with 52 seconds left. Gaugler struck back with a 3 of her own to put the Thoroughbreds back in front 11 seconds later.

Guagler blocked a Heron shot forcing the home team to foul. Christina Gargiso made the back end of the two shot try to make it a 2-point game with 27 seconds to go. Eleven seconds later, Kush converted a jumper to tie the game and force overtime.

The teams traded baskets to start the extra session, tying the game at 80-all halfway through the five-minute session. Christine Kemp hit a 3-pointer with 76 seconds to go, putting Skidmore in the lead for good. First-year guard Liz Douglass made a layup for William Smith on its next trip down the floor, but Kemp restored the 3-point advantage with a layup with 30 seconds remaining.

The Herons missed a pair of 3s down the stretch, while the Thoroughbreds went 3-for-4 from the free throw line.

Kush was 12-of-22 from the floor and 2-for-4 from the line for a team-high 26 points. She also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and recorded a team-high three steals. Borenstein, senior guard Mollie Danahy, and Douglass joined Kush in double figures with 13, 11, and 10 points, respectively. Douglass and first-year guard Erin O'Brien each dished out a team best five assists.

Gaugler led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including three 3-pointers, and a 4-for-4 effort at the line. A game-high 10 rebounds gave her a double-double, while she also blocked four shots. Giriso, Kemp, Jordyn Wartts, and Ottati added 16, 14, 12, and 11 points, respectively.

Most of the final box score was fairly even, but Skidmore had two clear advantages when all was said and done. The Thoroughbreds doubled up the Herons from beyond the arc (12 3FGM vs. 6) and at the free throw line (16 FTM vs. 8).

William Smith will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 15, when Union visits Bristol Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Skidmore will play at the same time, traveling to Hamilton.