NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - The 23rd ranked Smith College basketball team was named Co-Champions of the 30th Annual Tyler Tip-Off Tournament with its 70-55 win over Rowan University Sunday afternoon in Ainsworth Gymnasium. The Pioneers start the young season 3-0 and the Profs drop to 0-2.

Smith's Katelyn Pickunka (Westhampton, Mass./Hampshire) was named the Tournament MVP, while Jessie Ruffner (Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin) earned All-Tournament Team recognition. 

Top Performers

• Pickunka had 20 points to lead all scorers and added nine rebounds
• Ruffner knocked down three treys to finish with 13 points, nine boards and three assists
• Ally Yamada (Seal Beach, Calif./Fairmont Prep Academy) posted 11 points and four assists

Game Highlights

• Smith owned a 44-28 edge in rebounding, and shot 40% (20-of-50) from the field
• The Pioneers went 4-of-6 from three-point range in the first quarter to carry a 22-17 lead at the end of the opening quarter
• Both teams went cold in the second quarter as Rowan outscored Smith 12-5 and took a 29-27 advantage at halftime
• A layup from Grace Marshall put the Prof's up 37-21 early in the third quarter but Smith would respond with a 5-0 run to tie the game at the 5:33 mark
• Elle Jo Whalen's (Woodinville, Wash./Woodinville) bucket with under 30 seconds to go put Smith up 46-43 t the end of the third
• The Pioneers would find their offensive groove in the fourth and connected on four three-pointers, scoring 24 points to Rowan's 12 in the period and pulling away for the 15-point win

Up Next
Smith will head to Brunswick, Maine next Friday for a matchup with Mitchell College in the Bowdoin Tip-Off.

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.