SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Behind 22 points from Kate McCarney and a Julia Blanck double-double, the Skidmore College women's basketball team defeated Sage, 68-61, on Wednesday.
 
McCarney got hot in the second half to account for 16 of her 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Blanck's second double-double in a row consisted of 16 points and 11 rebounds with six offensive boards. The Thoroughbreds dominated the glass, finishing with a 47-29 edge in total rebounds, including 19 offensive rebounds to Sage's eight.
 
Skidmore is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2011 when the Thoroughbreds started with four-straight victories. Sage is 2-2. Sammy Pasinella led the Gators with 26 points. She was 8-of-18 from the field and 6-of-12 from 3-point range.
 
Skidmore scored 17 points off the bench, led by Emilija Jakumaite with six points, three assists, and three rebounds. Becca Horger had four assists in 14 minutes of action.
 
Sage led by four, 25-21, at the half before the third quarter opened up and saw Skidmore outscore the Gators 28-21 to take a three-point lead into the fourth quarter. In the fourth, the Thoroughbreds had two double-digit leads until the Gators inched back when Pasinella sank a 3-pointer to bring it down to four and Olivia Huneau went 1-for-2 from the line to make it 64-61 Skidmore.
 
Skidmore hit all four of its free throws, two each by McCarney and Clare Driscoll, to stymie the comeback bid in the final minute. The Thoroughbreds went 6-for-6 from the foul line in the fourth quarter and 16-for-19 (84.2 percent) overall. Driscoll finished with eight points with eight rebounds, five offensive, and a game-high five steals.
 
As a team, Skidmore shot 37.1 percent from the field while the Gators fired at a 36.5 percent clip. Skidmore had 24 turnovers to Sage's 18, and both teams had nine steals.
 
Skidmore will play Middlebury on the road on Saturday, Nov. 20 with a 2 p.m. tip.