| 3/8/2003 11:18:14 PM
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PITTSFORD, N.Y.—Despite the Rochester Institute of Technology men’s basketball team’s slow start, the Tigers advanced to the championship game of the ECAC basketball tournament with a 65-62 victory over Union. Tomorrow’s game will mark the first time the Tigers have advanced to the championship round since the 1992-93 season when RIT defeated Hamilton 105-95
Mike Stanton (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) started the Tigers scoring three minutes into the half when he was fouled by Chris Murphy (Hudson, N.Y.). Union’s strong defense held the Tigers scoreless for another four minutes giving them the 4-12 advantage with 13:23 remaining. Stanton netted eight in the first to lead RIT into the locker room trailing by two. The Dutchman out shot RIT the entire first half hitting 12-26 from the floor while the Tigers recorded a season low 33 percent to close out the half.
As the Tigers entered the hardwoods to begin the second-half they knew they had a battle for the right to play cross-town rival Nazareth in the championship game. Junior John Johnson (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier Central) (Hamburg, N.Y.) netted the first bucket to tie the game at 29-29. This half looked as if it was an entirely different game as the Tigers matched union bucket-for-bucket until RIT’s three-point weapon, Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) (Buffalo, N.Y.) hit four back-to-back three’s to boost the Tigers offense and change the momentum in the home team’s direction. RIT led by as many as 10 with 2:58 remaining in the contest however the Dutchman rallied to bring the game with in one off a lay-up from Brian Scordato (Mt. Kisco, N.Y.) giving the Tigers the ball with :48. Dan Cerro’s (Johnstown, N.Y.) free-throw put the Tigers up by two. Union had one last attempt but the Dutchman’s error by Philip Henry (Flushing, N.Y.) sealed the victory for RIT.
Johnson paced the Tigers with 13 while Empire 8 First Team All-Conference selection Mike Stanton and Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) added 12 apiece. Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, Fran Snyder (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon St. Jude) (Buffalo, N.Y.) ended the night with 10 points.
The Tigers improved to 19-8 overall and will advance to the ECAC Championship at Nazareth facing the Golden Flyers at 2 p.m.
