GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith College basketball team earned its sixth straight win with a 65-40 Liberty League victory over St. Lawrence University in Bristol Gym tonight. The Herons used a suffocating defense to limit the Saints to 28.8 percent shooting for the game.
 
William Smith (10-5, 6-3), which leads the conference in rebounding, won the battle of the boards against the league's No. 2 rebounders 47-40. The Herons also committed 12 fewer turnovers than the Saints, 25-13.
 
Senior Olivia Hughes led William Smith on the glass, grabbing a game-high 11 caroms. She also contributed eight points. Senior Mia Morrison and sophomore Stavriana Dimitrakopoulou led all scorers with twin 17-point performances. Morrison did her damage in the paint, shooting 7-of-20 from the floor with seven rebounds and a game-high four steals. Dimitrakopoulou was 4-of-6 from 3-point range and 6-of-9 overall.
 
Dylan Watkiss was the only Saint in double figures with 10 points.
 
After a tightly contested first quarter that saw the Herons take the lead by scoring the final five points, the Herons took control with an overpowering defensive effort in the second. The Saints were 0-for-8 from the floor and made just two free throws in the frame. William Smith scored the first seven points of the second quarter, including four from Morrison to extend its lead to 20-10. William Smith enjoyed a 26-12 halftime lead.
 
The Herons maintained a double digit lead throughout the second half, leading by as many as 27.
 
William Smith is on the road for its next five games, starting on Friday, Jan. 25 at Ithaca (13-3, 8-1). Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.