ONEONTA, N.Y.—The William Smith basketball team put together a strong second half as it rallied to defeat Hartwick 65-55 in a nonconference contest this evening, marking its second straight nonconference win during winter break.
 
Junior guard Amelia McCulley had a huge showing for the Herons, scoring a season-high 20 points and adding five rebounds, and two assists. McCulley shot 4-for-6 from behind the arc, nailing several clutch three pointers to spark the come-from-behind win. Junior Giana Lobozzo continued to shine for William Smith and added 15 points, four steals, four assists and three rebounds.
 
Junior Ava Lobozzo chipped in eight points, five assists, five steals and four rebounds in the win, while classmate Miranda Martin added seven points and six rebounds for the Herons. William Smith showed strong from the free throw line this evening, shooting 7-for-7 from the line to secure its second straight victory of the season.
 
Hartwick was led by Macy Durkin's 16 points, 13 rebounds and four steals. Olivia Farnham added nine points, two rebounds and one block, while Meghan Paul chipped in eight points, three rebounds and two assists. The Hawks combined for 24 turnovers as a team as the Herons rallied to defeat Hartwick for the first time since 2007. The win extended William Smith's win streak to four straight against the Hawks.

TEAM TOTALS

• Rebounds: Hartwick 40, William Smith 32
• Assists: William Smith 15, Hartwick 10
• Turnovers: Hartwick 24, William Smith 21
• Steals: William Smith 13, Hartwick 12
• Blocked Shots: Hartwick 3, William Smith 2

HERON STAT LEADERS

• Scoring: Amelia McCulley 20, Giana Lobozzo 15, Ava Lobozzo 8, Miranda Martin 7, Jojo Sulmasy 6
• Rebounding: Miranda Martin 6, McKenzie Mandyck 5, Amelia McCulley 5, Ava Lobozzo 4
• Assists: Ava Lobozzo 5, Giana Lobozzo 4, Carly Scott 2, Amelia McCulley 2, Jojo Sulmasy 1, McKenzie Mandyck 1
• Steals: Ava Lobozzo 5, Giana Lobozzo 4, Carly Scott 2, Bridget McCleary 1, Kira Ostovar 1

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The opening quarter saw the Herons and the Hawks trade the early momentum and points. William Smith applied the early pressure, forcing nine Hartwick turnovers in the opening quarter and scored crucial points on the fast break. McCulley added an offensive spark that the Herons needed but a Olivia Farnham layup as time expired would give the Hawks a 13-11 lead heading into the second quarter.
• William Smith struggled to find points in the opening minutes of the second quarter but grabbed crucial boards to keep them in the game. The scoring drought gave Hartwick a nine-point lead before a three pointer from McCulley stopped the Hawk's momentum. The Herons continued to chip away at Hartwick's lead but closed out the half down 29-22 due to sharp shooting from the free throw line by Farnham.
• The Herons came out hot in the second half, opening with a 12-0 soring run and forcing four consecutive Hawk turnovers to grab back the lead. William Smith continued its strong play throughout the remainder of the third quarter, combining for 26 points and shooting 58% from the floor as a team to head into the final 10 minutes up 48-41.
• William Smith continued on its momentum in the final quarter, shooting 40% from the floor, including 3-for-6 from behind the arc. The Herons extended their lead to as big as 18 points before the Hawks responded with a full court press, forcing turnovers and chipping away at William Smith's lead. The Herons used the clock to their advantage and closed out the nonconference battle on top, 65-55. 

COACHES CORNER:
 
"We got off to a slow start, but to come out in the second half and get three defensive stops in a row was a great statement that set the tone for the rest of the game," said Head Coach Seraphine Hamilton '06. "It fueled our energy and confidence to knock down our open shots at the other end of the floor and go on our biggest run of the season."

FOR THE RECORD

• William Smith extended its win streak to two straight and improved to 2-7 on the season.
• With the loss, Hartwick falls to 3-6 overall.

UP NEXT
 
William Smith will be back in action tomorrow as it closes out its three-game road trip with a nonconference contest against Utica. Action between the Herons and the Pioneers is set for 1 p.m. at Miga Court at the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium.