HENRIETTA, N.Y.—Rochester Institute of Technology used a big fourth quarter to hand the William Smith College basketball team its first Liberty League loss of the season 71-59 in Clark Gym this evening. The teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 41, but the Tigers outscored the Herons 30-18 in the final 10 minutes.
 
William Smith sophomore Mia Morrison posted her 10th career double-double on a team-high 20 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Senior Melanie Patterson added 10 points, a team-high four assists, and a team-high three steals. The Herons (13-4, 7-1) shot a season-low 28.6 percent from the field, including 3-of-20 from 3-point range.
 
RIT got a game-high 21 points from Tara Lynch. Jessica Glaz made three of the Tigers' six 3-pointers and finished with 19 points. Cori Okada added 11 points and a game-high six assists. RIT (11-7, 4-5) shot 37.3 percent from the field, making 6-of-20 from long range.
 
Both teams opened the game on a cold streak. The game was scoreless for over four minutes and was knotted at 9-all after 10 minutes. The Herons and Tigers were a combined 6-of-35 shooting in the first quarter.
 
RIT started to heat up in the second quarter, taking a 10-point lead on a Glaz 3-pointer with about four minutes left in the half. William Smith used an 11-4 run to go into halftime trailing by just three, 29-26.
 
The Herons carried the momentum out of the break, using a 13-6 run to build its largest lead of the game. Morrison sank a pair of free throws for a 39-35 lead with just under three minutes remaining in the third quarter.
 
Over the next five minutes, the Tigers rallied with a 14-4 run that put them in front by six. Taylor Burns and Julia Bender capped the run with back-to-back 3-pointers that put the home team up 49-43 with 7:41 left to play. Patterson made a triple of William Smith to get the visitors within three, but over the next six minutes, the Tigers outscored the Herons 20-8 to ice the victory.
 
William Smith will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 27, when the Herons host Vassar. Tipoff in Bristol Gym is scheduled for 6 p.m.