POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 4, 2014) – Vassar College enters the weekend atop the standings of the Liberty League, sporting an 8-1 conference mark along with a 15-3 overall record. The Brewers will get another shot at the team that handed them their only Liberty League loss in William Smith College Saturday, after taking on Rochester Institute of Technology at 6 p.m. Friday evening. Vassar is coming off a 45-point victory over Bard College Tuesday evening, as six players scored in double digits for VC.

Game Details
Opponent: at Rochester Institute of Technology (9-9, 5-4 Liberty League)            
(RIT Women's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Rochester, NY
Facility:  Clark Gymnasium (2,000)
Date: February 7, 2014
Time: 6 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Video) (Live Stats)

Game Details
Opponent: at William Smith College (15-5, 8-3 Liberty League)                  
(William Smith Women's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Geneva, NY
Facility:  Bristol Gymnasium (1,500)
Date: February 8, 2014
Time: 2 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Video) (Live Stats)

What to Look For
The Brewer defense has been solid all season, boasting the league's best scoring defense at 56.4 points per game. This weekend's challenge features the top two scoring offenses in the conference, as RIT (70.2) and William Smith (69.6) can fill it up. The Tigers have allowed the second-most points per game this year among Liberty League squads, surrendering 69.2 a game. William Smith has been a bit stingier, as teams are pouring in just 63.4 points a night. As per usual, whatever team can impose its tempo will have an advantage in making the other team play at their speed, giving that team a big advantage.

A Look at the Tigers
The Tigers of RIT have proven that they can play with the best teams in the league, thanks in part to their dynamic offense. Earlier this year, RIT battled Vassar before falling by five in Poughkeepsie. The Tigers also fell to William Smith in overtime earlier this week, 79-74. The Tigers like to get as many possessions as possible, and have shot a league-high 1,233 field goals. RIT is firing 36.1 percent from the floor this year, seventh-best in the conference, but the volume of shots can make defending difficult. Especially since the Tigers are strong in the post and on the wings.

The Tigers are the only team in the conference with four players in the top 20 in scoring, led by guard Ashlynn Palmitesso. Palmitesso is pouring in 15.3 points per game this year, nailing 32 triples on the season. Post player Courtney Tennant equals Palmitesso's scoring output with 15.3 points per night, having made a league-high 82 free throws. Kayla Wheeler averages 10.3 points per game, and went off in the first game with VC, notching a career-high 28 points. Jess Kramer adds 9.4 points per night for RIT, which leads the conference in rebounds per game, offensive rebounds, and assist/turnover ratio.

Projected Starting Lineup: G – Ashlynn Palmitesso (15.3 PPG); G - Jess Kramer (9.4 PPG); C - Courtney Tennant (15.3 PPG); F - Kayla Wheeler (10.3 PPG); F - Mallory Apperson (6.0 PPG)

Against RIT All-Time
The series between RIT and the Brewers is not a very old one, as the two teams just started playing one another when the Tigers joined the Liberty League during the 2011-12 season. VC has won all five previous engagements with the Tigers, including this year's 70-65 outing on January 18. Senior Cydni Matsuoka (Sacramento, CA/John F. Kennedy) led VC with 25 points.

A Look at the Herons
The Herons are one of the most balanced teams in the league, as they can score in a multitude of different ways. William Smith is tied for the League's top shooting percentage, making 41.7 percent of their field goals, while also making a 35.2 percent from downtown. The Herons are 27^th nationally in three-point shooting. William Smith, as expected due to its shooting percentage, is last in offensive rebounds in the conference but leads the conference in defensive boarding.

The Herons have one of the countries' best three-point shooting guards currently, as Sasha Borenstein has made 3.37 trifectas a game, fourth most in the nation. She also is seventh in NCAA Division III in three-point shooting percentage, making 45.4 percent from downtown. She averages 12.5 points per game, as 141 of her 187 shots have come from behind the three-point arc. Chloe Hayter leads WSC in scoring, posting a near double-double of 14.2 and 8.5 rebounds a game. Erin O'Brien leads the squad in minutes per game, scoring 11.3 points per contest. Jacqueline Murphy has one of the biggest motors in the league, and though only 5-6, leads the Herons in rebounding with 8.6 boards per game. WSC has scuffled of late, dropped three of its last four games.

Projected Starting Lineup: F - Chloe Hayter (14.2 PPG); F - Lauren Brustein (3.3); G - Sasha Borenstein (12.5); G - Erin O'Brien (11.3); G - Jacqueline Murphy (7.9).

Against William Smith All-Time
The Herons have held a decided advantage in the series with Vassar, winning 29 of the 32 games played between the two schools. William Smith won the first 25 meetings between the two teams, as Vassar is still looking for its first-ever win in Geneva, going a 0-15 in Bristol Gymnasium.

Triple Threat
Vassar comes into the weekend as the league's best three-point shooting team, making 37.4 percent of their attempts from deep. The 37.4 percent currently ranks Vassar tied for sixth in the nation.

Free Points
The Brewers have done a great job of taking what has been given to them, especially at the charity stripe. VC is shooting 76.2 percent from the line this year, which ranks 10^th in the nation among Division III women's teams.

Not Up In Here
Vassar, though not the biggest team, has not been afraid to swat a shot if given the chance. VC is second in the league in blocks, and Rose Serafini (Milton, Ontario, Canada/Milton Area) is second in the Liberty League in rejections with 24.

Thieves Come In Groups
The Brewers have a trio of players that rank in the top 10 in steals this year, as VC is the only team with three players in the top 10 in steals in the Liberty League. Cydni Matsuoka leads the team with 32, while Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) has 31 and Allyson Pemberton (Weston, MA/Weston) has 28.

Six Shooter
The Brewers posted six scorers with 10 or more points Tuesday at Bard College, which was the first time since the 2011-12 season, against William Smith College, that has happened.

Combined Success
The Vassar College men's and women's basketball teams have the 17^th-best combined winning percentage in the nation among schools with both a men's and women's team, winning 83.3 percent of their games this season. Vassar is also first in the East Region.

We Need 40
Vassar College this year has done well when shooting over 40 percent, as it improved to 10-0 on the year at Bard Tuesday when making at or above 40 percent of its jumpers.

Meesh Unleashed
Junior Michelle Foreman (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) has the team's best plus/minus per 40 minutes number this year, as the Brewers are 19.19 points better than its opponent per 40 minutes when Foreman is on the floor.

Gimme That
Sophomore Rose Serafini is first on the team in defensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 23.6 percent of the available defensive caroms when she is on the floor.

Up Next
Vassar will come home for its final weekend doubleheader, hosting Skidmore College Friday, February 14 at 6 p.m., with Senior Day following the next day at 2 p.m. against Union College.