CORTLAND, N.Y. (November 17, 2017) - The FDU women's basketball team nearly came back from 10 points down with a minute left, but fell to Ithaca 83-81 Friday evening.

The Devils are now 1-1, while Ithaca is 1-0. The Devils will take SUNY-Cortland tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the final game of the Cortaca Classic.

After the teams traded the first eight points, the Bombers pulled ahead and went on a 10-0 run, before sophomore Gabrielle Harris ended the run with a layup. The Bombers pushed the lead to 16, before FDU trimmed the lead in half heading into the second quarter, as sophomore Kendrea Williams had six points during the run.

Ithaca took advantage of 19 first half turnovers, and constructed a 15 points lead at 33-18 with 4:43 left in the second. Williams and junior Bria Smith converted three point plays on consecutive possessions, bringing the lead to nine. That would be the halftime lead for the Bombers who shot a staggering 54.8% from the field.

The Devils quickly erased the deficit after the half, scoring the first nine points, capped off with a pair from the charity stripe from Smith. The comeback would be short-lived with Ithaca going up by nine with 1:37 left in the third. FDU would hit three from the line late in the frame, and trailed by six heading into the fourth.

Ithaca grabbed its biggest lead of the second half, going up 17 with 3:13 left in the game. The Devils, who had scored just two points over the previous five minutes, staged a frenetic three minute rally.

Williams and Smith hit key layups, and Harris a layup and a free with 1:39 left to get within nine. The Bombers hit two from the line, but junior Kayla Croswell hit a layup. Harris took over, hitting two straight layups and getting fouled after both, hitting each from the line.

IC hit a free throw with 22 seconds left to go up five, but Harris answered back with a three from deep to make it a one possession game. After a turnover, the Devils one chance to tie with the ball under the basket, but a Smith layup just missed at the buzzer.

Harris scored a career-best 31 points, while Smith had 12 points and 15 rebounds. Williams had 21, as junior Mariah Martinez went for six points and five rebounds in the setback.