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Utica, NY – The Utica College women's basketball team heads to Ithaca College Friday for the opening round of the 2011 Empire 8 Conference Tournament . The Pioneers, who are making their seventh straight conference tournament appearance, finished the regular season with an overall record of 15-10 including an 11-5 mark in conference play. The Bombers won the regular season conference title posting a 15-1 record as well as a 19-6 mark overall.

In heads up play this season, Ithaca beat UC in both games, convincingly. On Jan. 11, the Bombers came to Utica and beat the Pioneers by 21 points, 74-53. Then on Feb. 5, Ithaca won 75-61 at home. Last year, UC lost both regular season games to the Bombers and went to Ithaca for the conference tournament and beat Stevens and then host Ithaca in the championship. Since the 2005-2006 season, Ithaca holds a 8-6 ledger against the Pioneers, including a 2-2 mark in the post-season.

In the conference, the Bombers are first in scoring offense averaging 68.9 points per game, while UC is second averaging 66.6 points per contest. The Pioneers lead the conference in field goal and three-point percentage, while Ithaca leads in assists and steals.

Utica is led by senior All-American Jessica Berry (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) who currently leads the conference in four major categories. Berry is averaging a double-double while leading the E8 with 21.4 points and 11.0 boards per game. She is also first in steals with 77 (3.35pg) and minutes played (37.57pg). The reigning conference player of the year recently became the 11th player in Division III women's basketball to join the 2000 point, 1000 rebound club and she is also the college's all-time leading scorer.

Sophomore forward Meghan Fiore (Epping, NH/Epping) is currently second in scoring, behind Berry, in the Empire 8 averaging 18.1 points per game. Fiore also leads the team and is second in the conference in field-goal percentage (.588). She is averaging 21 points per game in her last eight contests.

Senior guard Devon Croll (Vernon, NY/Vernon Verona Sherrill) is third on the team in scoring with 9.8 points per game. Croll leads the Empire 8 in three-point percentage (.430) and is second in assists (4.35pg) and minutes (37.43pg). She is school's all-time leader in steals and is second in three-point percentage.

Empire 8 Conference Tournament action will continue Sunday, Feb. 27 with match-ups to be announced following the opening round results. If the Pioneers win Saturday they will travel to St. John Fisher or Stevens for the final round of the tournament.