Women's Hoops Drops Tip-Off Title To Ithaca

Ithaca College junior guard Katherine Bixby (registered a team-leading 22 points, shooting 50 percent (8-for-16) from the floor, hitting a pair of three-pointers, going 4-for-5 from the free-throw line, and handing out a game-high eight assists in 40 minutes played to earn most valuable player honors in helping the Bombers (2-2) to a 76-69 win over host Oswego State in the championship game of the 2008 Oswego State Women’s Basketball Tip-Off Tournament.

In the third-place consolation game, Bridgewater State College (1-1) defeated SUNY Cobleskill, 67-60, as sophomore guard Corey Cuddihy scored a tournament-high 32 points to pace the Bears, making 13 of 33 shots from the floor, including 5-for-6 from three-point range, to go with four rebounds and four steals.

Bixby and Cuddihy were named to the the all-tournament team along with junior guard Lindsay Brown of Ithaca, and the Oswego State duo of freshman Kayla Ryan (Schaghticoke, NY/Hoosick Valley) and senior co-captain Heather Merino (Queensbury, NY/Lake George).

Merino and Ryan averaged 16.5 and 15.5 points, respectively, for the two-day tournament. Ryan registered the “double-double” in the championship game with 30 points and 11 rebounds (seven offensive) in 32 minutes of action, hitting 13 of 18 field goals with one 3-pointer to go along with four assists and three steals. Merino connected on five of nine shots from the floor (including a three-pointer) to finish with 14 points in the title game, 12 coming in the second half, while sophomore Traci Bacon (Massena), despite being in foul trouble for most of the game in being limited to two points, grabbed eight rebounds and a compiled a game-high eight steals.

Ithaca, who trailed only once throughout the entire game (6-5 in the opening 3:03), shot 54.7 percent from the floor (29-for-53) and 62.5 percent from behind the arc (5-for-8). The Bombers connected on 16 of 29 shots from the field (55.2 percent) in taking a 41-27 lead at halftime.

Ithaca held the double-digit advantage for most of the second half, leading by as many as 19 points on two occasions, before the Lakers started chipping away at the lead, closing the margin to five points (74-69) with 1:09 remaining on a three-pointer by Ryan. The Bombers iced the win on a pair of free throws with less than 40 seconds to play.

The Lakers will return to the court on Sunday, Nov. 30 for a 4 p.m. contest with the University of Rochester in Max Ziel Gymnasium. The Yellowjackets are ranked fifth in the D3hoops.com preseason poll.

SUNY Oswego Sports Info