Box Score Saratoga Springs, N.Y. - On the opening day of the 2012 Skidmore Women's Basketball Invitational, the host Thoroughbreds fell to Tufts 50-30, Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
 
Skidmore will face Ithaca at 4 p.m. tomorrow and the Jumbos will take on Hamilton at 2 p.m. in the predetermined matchups.  Ithaca was a 66-61 winner over Hamilton in the opening game.
 
The Thoroughbreds got out to the early lead but Tufts battled and with the scored tied 10-10, went on a 10-0 run to take control.  Angela Botiba broke up the run with a three-point play at 3:39 and Skidmore scored seven of the final nine points of the half to trim the Jumbo lead to 22-17 at the intermission.
 
In the second half, the Thoroughbreds were able to keep it within six at 30-24, but another 10-0 run for Tufts capped by a Hayley Kanner free throw put the game out of reach for the hosts. The Jumbo defense stifled a young Skidmore squad, coming up with 10 steals and 23 points off turnovers.
 
Botiba finished with a double-double for the Thoroughbreds, posting 16 points and 10 rebounds to go with a pair of blocks.  Jordyn Wartts chipped in with eight points and five rebounds and Molly McGlaughlin added seven rebounds and two assists.
 
Hanah Foley led the scoring for Tufts, putting up 13 to go along with three steals.  Kate Barnosky had seven points and seven rebounds as nine different players scored and 11 recorded a rebound.
 
The Jumbos shot 32.8% from the floor compared to 21.4% for Skidmore.

Ithaca holds of Hamilton in tournament opener
 
Saratoga Springs, N.Y. - The Ithaca College women's basketball team held off a late rally to pick up a 66-61 victory over Hamilton College in the opening game of the 2012 Skidmore Invitational.
 
It was the first game of the season for both schools as the Bombers will face host Skidmore tomorrow at 4 p.m. and the Continentals will take on Tufts in the predetermined matchups.
 
Hamilton got out to an early lead and led throughout the first half, but Ithaca was able to rally late and take a 29-28 lead into the break.
 
In the second half, the Bombers started to wear down the Continentals as they scored 22 of their 37 second half points in the paint.  After a tight game throughout, Ithaca started to pull away late and went up by 11 on a three-point play from Mary Kate Tierney to make it 63-52.
 
Hamilton battled back and cut the lead to five on a three-point play from Eliza Howe and a three-pointer by Kim Goidell, but the Bombers hit their free throws down the stretch to earn the victory.
 
Geena Brady led four players in double-figures for Ithaca with 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting off the bench.  Tierney finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Devin Shea added 11 points and Jenn Escobido recorded 10 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
 
Howe led the way for the Continentals, posting a game-high 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor and 9-of-11 from the line.  Goidell added 12 points and seven rebounds to go along with three assists. Dani Feigin chipped in with nine points, six steals and three assists.
 
The Bombers shot 50.05 from the floor compared to 37.0% for Hamilton and held a 34-14 advantage on points in the paint.