POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 24, 2014) – The Vassar College women's basketball team, seeded No. 2 in the Liberty League Tournament, will host No. 3 seed William Smith Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in semi-final action from the Athletics and Fitness Center (AFC). The Brewers will look to avenge their only home defeat of the year, as WSC knocked off Vassar 73-63 back on Friday, January 17. VC battled St. Lawrence University Friday and Clarkson University Saturday, with the Brewers going 1-1 on the trip to North Country.

Vassar College (20-5, 13-3 LL)
(Vassar Women's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)

Game Details
LIBERTY LEAGUE TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS
Opponent: vs. William Smith College (19-6, 12-4 Liberty League)             
(William Smith Women's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility:  Athletics and Fitness Center (1,200)
Date: February 26, 2014
Time: 6 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Video) (Live Stats)

Liberty League Tournament Matchup
Category	Vassar	William Smith
Scoring Offense	69.7	68.2
Scoring Defense	59.7	62.0
FG%	42.1	40.8
FG% Defense	35.9	36.7
3PT%	36.6	34.4
FT%	76.1	69.8
RPG	45.0	41.4
TPG	14.6	15.5
APG	14.1	13.0
SPG	8.2	6.4
BPG	4.0	2.2

OTHER LIBERTY LEAGUE TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS
Game: St. Lawrence University (18-7, 14-2) vs. RIT (14-11, 10-6)                 
Site: Canton, NY
Facility:  Berkman Gymnasium (1,200)
Date: February 26, 2014
Time: 7 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Video) (Live Stats)

What To Look For
The Brewers for the second consecutive season will entertain the Herons in the first round of the Liberty League playoffs. Vassar will try to prevent history from repeating itself, as William Smith earned a 69-58 win in the AFC last year to advance to the Liberty League Championship. The key to Vassar's success will be knocking down shots, as the Brewers shot under 40 percent in both games this season, including making a season-low 32.2 percent from the floor in VC's home defeat to the Herons. William Smith also shot over 50 percent in that contest, Vassar's only loss in 13 home games this year.

A Look at the Herons (19-6, 12-4 LL)
The Herons coming into Wednesday's game with the Brewers having not played a game since last Wednesday, defeating Union College 62-50. William Smith has won five of its last six games, five of those contests came in Geneva. Prior to that, the Herons lost three of their previous four contests, all away from home. William Smith can hurt you a variety of ways, as it has the league's second-best field goal percentage. WSC is second in three-point percentage, and has made the most triples of any team in the League this season. Other than Vassar, William Smith has the league's best scoring margin at over 6.2 points per game.

Forward Chloe Hayter comes into the contest as the Heron's leading scorer, pouring in 14.4 points per game. She ranks ninth in the league in scoring, and has made the fifth-most free throws in the conference with 90 so far this year. Guard Erin O'Brien plays the most minutes out of any Heron, and scores 12 points to go with 4.1 helpers a game. O'Brien is one of four WSC players that has hit over 10 three-pointers this year, a group that's led by Sasha Borenstein. Borenstein has made 41.8 percent from downtown, making 69 triples this year, most in the Liberty League.

Dynamic scorer and slasher Melanie Patterson scored a career-high 24 against Vassar last time these two teams met, as she posts 7.8 points per game, and Jacqueline Murphy fills a great role as a secondary scorer and feisty rebounder, chalking up 7.6 points and 8.4 rebounds from the wing. The Heron's depth is a strength, as 10 players regularly play double-digit minutes. William Smith has won two Liberty League titles, coming in back-to-back years in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Projected Starting Lineups:
VC – G – Cydni Matsuoka (18.3 PPG), G – Caitlin Drakeley (12.8 PPG), G – Allyson Pemberton (6.6 PPG), F – Hannah Senftleber (14.5 PPG), F – Michaela Janowski (3.6 PPG).

WSC – G – Erin O'Brien (12.0 PPG), G – Sasha Borenstein (11.3 PPG), G – Jacqueline Murphy (7.6 PPG), F – Chloe Hayter (14.4 PPG), F – Molly Breen (4.7 PPG).

Against William Smith All-Time
The Herons have held a decided edge in the all-time series with the Brewers, winning 30 of the 33 meetings against Vassar dating back to 1996. Vassar and William Smith will meet in the playoffs for the third time Wednesday, with each team holding one victory. VC's last win over William Smith came last year during the regular season in Poughkeepsie.

Cyd Vicious
Senior guard Cydni Matsuoka (Sacramento, CA/John F. Kennedy) had a huge past week, and now leads the conference in scoring with 18.3 points per game, pacing the League with 458 points. She also has the most assists per game in the League with 5.8 per game.

Tournament Dancing
The Brewers will play in their fourth consecutive Liberty League Tournament, winning the League's title in 2010-11 and 2011-12. The Brewers are 4-1 all-time in tournament games coming into this week.

20/20
Vassar College reached the 20-win plateau for the second time in school history with the win over Clarkson. VC is a win from tying the program-high for wins in a single-season, set last year with a 21-5 record.

See What Brown Can Do For You
Fifth-year head coach Candice Brown has an 122-89 head coaching record, posting an impressive 84-47 record at Vassar College. Her winning percentage at VC (.641) is the highest of any Brewer head women's basketball coach in school history.

On The Offensive
The Brewers finished the regular season with the Liberty League's leading offense, marking the third consecutive season that  Vassar has accomplished that feat.

Cydni Claus
Giving hasn't ever been a problem for Cydni Matsuoka, the program's leader in assists. In fact, this weekend she broke her own record assists in a season, siting with 146 now on the year.

Board Patrol
So far this season, the Brewers have done a great job on the glass. VC is on pace to break the team record for rebounds per game, currently sitting at 45 boards per game, a half of rebound over the 2011-12 mark of 44.5.

Lock Down
Vassar's field goal defense this year ranks second in program history, as VC has held opposition to 35.9 percent shooting from the floor. The only team to best that is the Liberty League title team of 2011-12, holding teams to 34.6 percent that year.

Shoot 'Em Down
The Brewers have played nine games this year against teams with avian mascots, going 7-2 against the birds this year.