The William Smith basketball team defeated No. 20 Vassar 49-48 in a Liberty League contest, snapping the Brewer’s 21-game win streak and handing them their first conference loss of the season. This was the Herons’ first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since 2008, when William Smith took down No. 16 Cortland.
Two Herons dropped double-digit points to lead William Smith to victory. Senior Brooke Jarvis led the game with 16 points and nine rebounds, while first-year Amelia McCulley chipped in 11 points, five rebounds, and five steals. First-year Miranda Martingrabbed eight rebounds in the win.
Vassar was led by Julia Harvey with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Sierra McDermed added 13 points and eight rebounds in the loss.
COACH’S COMMENTS
“Tonight’s win was a long time coming and I couldn’t be happier for our team. They played together for 40 minutes, played with grit and determination, and earned every bit of this win.” – Head Coach Lindsay Sharman
KEY STATS
- William Smith jumped out to an early lead and maintained that lead for 29:46 of the game.
- The Herons found crucial points from their bench, outscoring the Brewer’s bench 12-4.
- William Smith opened the contest with sharp shooting from behind the arc. The Herons shot 60% compared to the Brewer’s 12.5% from behind the arc in the opening quarter.
- The Herons pushed the tempo throughout the game, scoring eight fast break points compared to Vassar’s two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- William Smith jumped out to an early 13-2 lead behind five points each from Jarvis and McCulley. Sophomore Carly Scott hit a deep three-pointer to spark the early momentum for the Herons.
- Vassar fought back in the second, putting together a 9-0 run to tie the game at 16-16.
- Martin closed out the half with three points to give William Smith a 26-24 lead heading into halftime.
- The third quarter was filled with back-and-forth action leading to three lead changes and three tie scores between the two teams.
- William Smith came out hot to start the second half on a 7-0 run before the Brewers chipped away at the Herons’ lead. Vassar grabbed its first lead of the half as they led by one heading into the final quarter.
- The Herons held the Brewers scoreless for the first four minutes of the final quarter, grabbing a 43-37 lead. The back-and-forth action continued down the stretch as Vassar fought back to tie the game with 32 seconds remaining.
- With 23 seconds remaining, Vassar’s Tova Gelb went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line to give the Brewers a one-point lead. The Herons stepped up to the occasion, as Jarvis went to work in the paint to lead the Herons to their first victory over a nationally-ranked team in 12 years.
FOR THE RECORD
- The Herons move to 7-17 on the season with a 7-10 mark in the Liberty League.
- The Brewers slip to 22-2 overall and suffer their first conference loss of the season (16-1).
UP NEXT
William Smith will welcome Union to Bristol Gymnasium tomorrow, Feb. 17, for its conference finale. The Liberty League matchup between the Herons and the Garnet Chargers is set for 2 p.m., with a brief ceremony prior to tipoff to celebrate the class of 2024.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].