GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith College basketball team outscored the Rochester Institute of Technology 42-31 in the second half, but the Tigers were able to hold on for a 72-68 Liberty League win in Bristol Gym tonight. Heron senior Mia Morrison led all scorers with 27 points, including 15 in the second half.
 
Morrison was 11-of-20 from the floor and 5-of-7 at the free throw line. She also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, leading William Smith to a 42-33 advantage on the glass. Senior Olivia Hughes added 11 points and a pair of blocked shots. Sophomore Juliana Gamboa and first-year Amy Dooley each scored nine points.
 
Senior Cori Okada led four Tigers in double figures with 17 points. First-year Alyssa Juergens posted a double-double on 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Senior Tara Lynch and first-year Taylor Signor chipped in 13 points and 10 points, respectively.
 
RIT (8-1, 3-0 LL) ended the first half on an 11-2 run to build its biggest lead of the game, 41-26, going into halftime. Okada started the run with back-to-back 3-pointers. Juergens accounted for the other five points for the Tigers.
 
The Herons outscored their guests 22-14 in the third quarter to get within seven entering the final 10 minutes. Down by nine with six and a half minutes remaining, William Smith went on a 9-2 run that closed the gap to just two. Gamboa started the surge with a 3-pointer and followed it with a layup. After Okada made a bucket to push the RIT lead back to six, Morrison scored on consecutive trips down the floor to make it a 65-63 game with just over two minutes left.
 
The Herons had a couple of looks at the basket that would have tied the game or given them the lead, but both shots were off the mark and the Tigers sealed the win by making 7-of-8 at the free throw line over the final minute and a half.
 
William Smith (4-5, 0-3) will be back on the court at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 5, hosting Ithaca College (8-2, 3-0).