HENRIETTA, N.Y. – With three players scoring in double figures, the University of Rochester won its 20th straight Wendy's Classic game with a 67-55 victory over William Smith College at Clark Gym on the campus of RIT.
Loren Wagner led the Yellowjackets with 13 points. Jodie Luther had 11 points and nine rebounds, five off the offensive glass. Laney Ming added 10 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Amy Woods scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
The Yellowjackets improved to 6-0. Rochester will play in its 10th straight Wendy's Classic championship game against Roberts Wesleyan College. The title game will be played at 5:30 pm on Saturday. This is a rematch of last year's championship game, played at Roberts.
Liz Douglass scored 15 points and added five assists for the Herons. Sydni Salvatore scored 16 points, 12 coming on four three-point field goals. Jacqueline Murphy scored six points and grabbed 11 rebounds. William Smith is 2-2. The same two teams will play again in eight days – this time in Geneva as part of a women's/men's doubleheader.
Rochester built a 38-20 lead at halftime on the strength of two big scoring runs. William Smith hit three baskets in less than a minute to take a quick 6-2 lead. Madeline Korber put in back to back rebound layups to start a 16-0 run. When Wagner scored on a putback and added a free throw to complete a three-point play, Rochester led, 18-6.
Salvatore hit two treys for the Herons as part of a 10-4 burst. When Murphy scored on a backdoor layup, William Smith was within 22-16 with 5:30 left in the half.
Rochester answered with 13 straight points. Ming started the run by canning a three-pointer from right wing. She added a pullup in the lane on a fast break. Wagner's layup completed the run and Rochester's lead was 19 (35-16) with just over three minutes left in the half.
The Yellowjacket lead peaked at 21, 45-24, on Wagner layup five minutes into the period. It hovered around 20 until the last five minutes when seven points from Douglass led a 12-2 rally that got the Herons within 10, 65-55, in the last minute.