Shea Powers Undefeated Ithaca Past Cortland In Overtime
ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Ithaca College women's basketball team (5-0) continued the program's best start in 14 years, topping previously unbeaten Cortland (4-1) 85-77 in overtime Tuesday at Ben Light Gymnasium.
The Bombers, who were led by career-best totals of 30 points and 15 rebounds by junior center Devin Shea (St. Basil Academy/Huntingdon, Pa.), are off to their best start since the 1997-98 team won its first six games.
Shea, whose previous career-high totals were 16 points and 13 rebounds, made 12 of her 16 shots from the floor and added three assists, two blocked shots and two steals.
Ithaca forced overtime with 10 seconds left on a jumper by sophomore forward Jenn Escobido (Norwich Free Academy/Lisbon, Conn.), who had rebounded a missed shot. The Red Dragons, who had gone ahead 12 seconds earlier, committed their 16th turnover of regulation with two seconds left Shea came up with the steal).
In overtime Cortland took the lead on a pair of free throws (the Red Dragons made 18 of 20 from the line), but Shea tied the game with a jumper and senior guard Jessica Farley (Pine Valley Central/South Dayton) put the Bombers up for good with a three-point basket on Ithaca’s next possession.
Farley finished with 16 points, six assists and four rebounds. As a team, Ithaca outrebounded Cortland 55-35.
Shea and Escobido both recorded their first career double-double; Shea’s 30 points matched the program’s ninth-highest total and marked the highest scoring game by a Bomber since all-American Stephanie Cleary poured in 36 in an Empire 8 playoff win over St. John Fisher on Feb. 27, 2005. Escobido led Ithaca with a career-best 16 rebounds and scored 12 points.
The Bombers jumped out to a 17-3 lead, holding Cortland without a basket for the first six minutes of the game. The Red Dragons, whose first six baskets were all three-pointers, used an 18-3 run to take their first lead (21-20 midway through the opening period). They never led by more than four points in a game that was tied 12 times.
Sophomore guard Kathryn Campbell (Wall/Wall, N.J.) scored 13 points, pulled down nine rebounds and collected three assists. Senior guard Jacqueline Shinall (Joel Barlow/Redding, Conn.) added 11 points and six assists.
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