Box Score Coach Smith Postgame Interview (to come)

ITHACA, N.Y – After a back and forth first half that saw the Big Red women's basketball team fall behind by seven points before taking a 34-28 lead into the intermission, Cornell never trailed in the second stanza as it held on to defeat William & Mary, 60-56, at Newman Arena. With the victory, Cornell snapped a two-game skid to improve to 6-5 on the season.

The Big Red enjoyed a well-balanced offense with four players scoring in double-figures, led by Allyson DiMagno's fifth double-double of the season (15 points, 12 rebounds). Clare Fitzpatrick was equally impressive with 15 points, eight rebounds and a game-high five assists. Shelby Lyman and Taylor Flynn finished the game with 12 and 11 points, respectively, and seven rebounds apiece. Spencer Lane was also solid, chipping in seven points to go along with five assists and two steals.

William & Mary (2-8) was led by Kaitlyn Mathieu's 13 points, while Jazmen Boone and Janine Aldridge tallied 12 and 11 points, respectively. Taylor Hilton posted a game-high 13 rebounds to go along with eight points.

Cornell shot extremely well during the game, finishing at 47 percent from the floor and 35 percent from 3-point range, while holding W&M to 30 percent overall and just 25 percent from beyond the arc. The Big Red also held the slight 40-35 edge in rebounds, despite the Tribe holding a fairly significant height advantage. The hot shooting, tough defense and advantage on the boards all helped the home team to overcome 21 turnovers on 13 W&M steals.

Cornell jumped out to an early 8-2 lead just three minutes into the contest, but moments later, a pair of made free throws by Mathieu gave the Tribe a one-point advantage, 9-8, at the 15:43 mark. The teams traded baskets on the next two trips down the court but a layup from Hilton triggered a 6-0 run to give the visitors a 15-10 advantage with 13:39 to go in the half.

The Tribe extended its lead to seven points (19-12) on a jumper by Kyla Kerstetter but back-to-back jumpers by DiMagno, followed by consecutive treys from Flynn and Lyman restored a five-point advantage to Cornell.

Mathieu answered for the Tribe on its next trip down court, but a jumper by Flynn, off an assist from Fitzpatrick, followed by a layup by Fitzpatrick, off an assist from Flynn, pushed the Big Red lead to six points (28-22) with just over five minutes to play in the half.

Less than a minute later, a layup by Aldridge brought the visitors back within two points, but another layup by Fitzpatrick and jumper by Flynn ended the threat and a bucket by DiMagno to close the half sent Cornell into the intermission with the 34-28 lead.

Cornell extended its lead to 10 points in the opening moments of the second half, but W&M turned up the defensive pressure and used four Big Red turnovers in just under four minutes to tie the game at 38-38 with 13:21 to play.

DiMagno hit a jumper to stop the Tribe run and a hard fought traditional three-point play by Fitzpatrick turned all the momentum back to Cornell. Lyman went on to hit consecutive treys, both of which were assisted on by Fitzpatrick, to push the Big Red run to 11 points (49-38) with 10:01 remaining in the contest.

Over the next six minutes, W&M cut the Cornell lead to five points on three occasions, but the home team had an answer each time, twice coming in the form of a Fitzpatrick layup, but a trey by Aldridge made it a four-point game with 2:47 to go.

A traditional three-point play from DiMagno put Cornell back up by seven (58-51) with 2:29 showing on the clock, but that was the last field goal made by the home team.

Mathieu hit a layup and Aldridge knocked down a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions  to cut Cornell's lead to 58-56 with 1:30 to play, but neither team would make another shot and a pair of made free throws by Fitzpatrick with 1.2 seconds left in the contest sealed the 60-56 victory.