Box Score

TROY, N.Y. - Sophomore Amanda Lynch scored a career-high 20 points and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team held off Skidmore College, 64-61, in the regular season finale for both teams at East Campus Arena. The Engineers improve to 14-11 overall and 8-8 in the Liberty League, while the Thoroughbreds are now 12-13 and 10-6. 

Skidmore's season continues this Wednesday when it plays in the Liberty League Tournament Semifinals at Vassar College. Rensselaer awaits word on a berth into the ECAC Championships.

The first half was close throughout and the visitors from Saratoga Springs held a 37-35 advantage. Rensselaer's Sarah Wetmore (Sudbury, MA / Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) led all scorers with 12 points, while Skidmore's Angela Botiba (Douala, Cameroon / Stoneleigh Burnham) had 10 points at the break.

RPI opened the second half on a 15-2 run behind Lynch (Middletown, NY / J. Burke Catholic) to take the lead, 50-39 with 12:31 to go in the second frame. Skidmore chipped away, pulling to within three points, 60-57 with 2:19 remaining, and eventual taking the lead, 61-60 on a pair of Dani DeGregory (Greenwich, NY / Greenwich) free throws with 33 seconds remaining. RPI freshman Ashley Clough (West Chesterfield, NH / Keene) took the ensuing inbounds pass and drove the length of the court before being fouled while attempting a shot in the lane. She made both free throws for a one-point lead (62-61) with 27 seconds to go. 

Skidmore got the ball into the frontcourt and drove it toward the rim but Wetmore forced a turnover and was fouled on the inbounds play. She made both ends of a one-and-one situation for a three-point lead, 64-61 with 14 seconds remaining. The Thoroughbreds had a chance at a desperation three-point shot with two seconds to go but Wetmore corralled the rebound and was fouled with two seconds left, essentially closing out the game.

Lynch finished with a career-high 20 points on 9 of 15 shooting. She also had six rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. Wetmore, who set the school's records for single season points and career points on Friday, finished with 17 points. She added nine rebounds and six assists in her final regular season game at home. Clough scored 11 points, while Bailei Tetrault (Cohoes, NY / Cohoes) also reached double figures, scoring 10.

Botiba had a team-high 18 points, along with six rebounds and five steals in 32 minutes. DeGregory and Jordyn Wartts (St. Louis, MO / Lutheran High North) both scored 11 points, while Skylar Caligaris (Cambridge, MA / Buckingham Browne & Nichols) had a game-high 11 rebounds. She scored six points.