GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith College basketball team ran away from visiting Skidmore College for a 77-45 Liberty League win to secure a spot in the conference's six-team championship tournament. Sophomore Stavriana Dimitrakopoulou led four Herons in double figures with a game-high 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
 
Senior Olivia Hughes added 16 points and two blocked shots. She now has 67 career blocked shots, tied for third on William Smith's all-time list. Sophomore Juliana Gamboa chipped in 14 points and a game-high five assists, while sophomore Kyesha Talerico logged her first collegiate double-double on 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
Skidmore junior Jessica Centore scored a team-high 18 points with a game-high six steals. First-year forward Claire Driscoll scored 10 points off the bench.
 
The Herons (14-7, 10-5) were locked in from the start, using a strong defensive effort to force a shot clock violation on the game's opening possession. William Smith then rattled off the first 15 points of the contest. Hughes and Dimitrakopoulou led the opening charge, contributing five points apiece.
 
Driscoll made a pair of 3-pointers in the final three minutes of the opening quarter to account for all of the Thoroughbreds' points in the frame. Skidmore (7-15, 6-9) shot just 17 percent from the floor in the first quarter.
 
While the visitors struggled to find their shot, the Herons shot 60 percent from the floor in the first 10 minutes and 49 percent for the opening half.
 
William Smith used a 15-4 second quarter run to build its largest lead of the first half, 40-17, with a minute to go to halftime. Hughes accounted for seven points in the quarter, including back-to-back 3-pointers to cap the run. The Herons led 40-19 at halftime with Hughes leading all scorers with 12 points. Dimitrakopoulou had 10.
 
Skidmore trimmed William Smith's lead to 17 by the end of the third quarter, but the Herons closed out the game in a manner similar to the first quarter, outscoring the visitors 22-7 over the final 10 minutes.
 
William Smith dominated the glass, outrebounding Skidmore 51-21. The Herons shot 53 percent from the floor for the night while limiting the Thoroughbreds to 28 percent shooting.
 
William Smith will be home for the final time in the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 9. The Herons will host Bard (5-17, 0-15) at 2 p.m. Prior to tipoff, William Smith will salute Hughes and fellow senior Mia Morrison. The Herons will also celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day.