Ithaca to Host Empire 8 Women's Basketball Championship
Ithaca College will host the Empire 8 Women's Basketball Championship Friday and Saturday, the fourth year in a row that the Bombers have hosted the women's tournament.
The Bombers (21-4 overall, 13-1 conference) play in Friday's first semifinal at 6 p.m. against fourth-seeded St. John Fisher College (11-14, 7-7). The Bombers won 82-50 in the first matchup between the teams this season at Ithaca on Jan. 6. The second meeting at Fisher on Feb. 4 was much closer with the Bombers winning 75-66.
The second semifinal on Friday at 6 p.m. pits second-seeded Hartwick College against third-seeded and defending champion Stevens Institute of Technology. The Ducks posted back-to-back wins over sixth-ranked William Paterson and the Hawks (60-54) to close out the regular season. Hartwick won 66-51 at Stevens on Jan. 24.
The semifinal winners will meet in the conference final Saturday at 4 p.m. with the winner to earn the Empire 8 title and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship.