William Smith basketball fell 86-67 to RIT on Friday afternoon in a Liberty League matchup at Clark Gymnasium, as the Tigers used a decisive third-quarter surge to pull away.
BILLS GAME WEEK: Buffalo heads to Los Angeles for Monday Night Football matchup with Rams (preview) 
Ava Lobozzo led the Herons with 13 points, adding two assists and a steal. Amelia McCulley followed with 11 points, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc, while Dani Krenzer chipped in 10 points, three rebounds and two steals. William Smith finished with a slight edge on the glass, outrebounding RIT 29-28, and totaled 16 assists on the afternoon.
The game was tightly contested early. William Smith shot efficiently in the opening quarter and stayed within striking distance, trailing 22-18 after one. The Herons continued to build momentum in the second quarter, shooting 57% from the floor and forcing four turnovers. William Smith outscored RIT 20-18 in the period but went into halftime trailing by two.
The turning point came after the break. RIT opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run, shooting 60% from the floor while holding William Smith to 21% and forcing five turnovers. The surge stretched the Tigers’ lead to 65-46 heading into the final quarter.
William Smith showed resilience in the fourth, scoring 21 points and shooting 50% from the field. Krenzer helped spark the offense as the Herons attempted to chip away at the deficit, but RIT managed the clock effectively and closed the game at the free-throw line.
RIT was led by balanced scoring, with three players reaching double figures. The Tigers improved to 12-6 overall and 9-2 in Liberty League play.
William Smith dropped to 3-15 overall and 1-10 in conference action.
The Herons return to the court Saturday, traveling to Saratoga Springs to face Skidmore at 2 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.
