Box Score

ELMIRA, N.Y. - Rensselaer shot 50.8% from the floor and held a 50-28 rebounding advantage and the Red Hawks defeated Elmira, 74-61, in the first round of the ECAC Tournament. RPI, the eighth-seed, improves to 16-10 and advances to the semi-finals against fifth-seeded William Smith at SUNY Brockport on Friday. The Soaring Eagles, the top seed, falls to 21-7.

Following a close start to the game, Rensselaer opened an eight-point lead with 6:40 remaining in the first half and held a 37-24 advantage at halftime. The Red Hawks continued to hold a double-digit lead until Elmira cut it to five points (54-49) with 7:52 remaining but the visitors pulled away for the 13-point victory.

RPI saw four student-athletes reach double digits in scoring, led by sophomore guard Whitney Coleman’s (Etiwanda, CA/Etiwanda) 16 points. The All-Liberty League First Team selection also had seven rebounds and three assists while shooting 8-of-13 from the floor. Senior forward Kristi Baranowski (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool), an All-League Honorable Mention choice, had 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Also recording double digits were guards Caitlyn Charest (Swansea, MA/LaSalle Academy), who had 11 points, and Sara Decker (Philmont, NY/Catholic Central), who had ten points. Forward Elizabeth Barker (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) added eight points and ten rebounds.

The victory was the 100th for head coach John Greene as the Rensselaer mentor. 

Elmira, the Empire 8 regular season champion, was led by sophomore guard Marcia Coakley’s (Plattsburgh, NY/Beekmantown) 27 points.