| 3/16/2004 10:42:57 AM

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ROCHESTER, NY -- The men's basketball team defeated Nazareth College 84-79 in overtime in a thrilling consolation round game of the 2004 JP Morgan Chase Scholarship Tournament at the University of Rochester's Palestra. The win improves RIT's record to 7-5 on the season, while Nazareth falls to 5-6 on the season.

RIT came out hot in the first half, opening the game with a 10-0 run. The Tigers increased their lead to 13-4 in the half led by Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) and Fran Snyder (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon St. Jude) who scored 15 and 10 points respectively. Nazareth made a run late in the half, cutting RIT's lead to nine points at 31-40 at the intermission. RIT shot 42.9 percent from the floor on 15-35 shooting and 45 percent from three-point land, making 9-20 attempts from behind the arc. RIT's defense held Nazareth to 42.4 percent shooting and held them to 2-5 from behind the arc.

The second half saw the Tigers increase their lead to as many as 17 points on a layup by Jesse Foote (Lockwood, N.Y./Spencer-Van Ettan). Nazareth came back and slowly whittled away the Tigers lead. Mike DeBlois made it a two-point (69-67) lead with his three-pointer with 4:21 to play. Drew Martin (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) answered back for the Tigers with a three-pointer of his own, giving RIT a five-point lead. Then, with 55 seconds to play in regulation and Nazareth trailing by two Ryan Shipley tied the game at 72-72 with a pair of free throws. RIT came down and got the ball inside to Foote. The 6'10" center spun and attempted a lay up that caromed off the rim. Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) knocked the ball out of bounds trying to secure the rebound, giving Nazareth one last shot with 19.3 seconds remaining. Coming out of the time out Nazareth got the ball to Rich Orlicz whose shot, with two seconds remaining, missed sending the game into overtime tied 72-72.

In the overtime session RIT took control, scoring the first four points on lay ups by Kyle Goff and Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North). Jesse Foote (Lockwood, N.Y./Spencer-Van Ettan), Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) each missed a pair of free throws, keeping the score at 76-72. With 1:16 to play in overtime Matt Groot hit a jumper pulling Nazareth to within two points at 79-75. After a paor of missed free throws by Snyder Shipley tied the game at 79-79 on a lay up with less than a minute to play. After a Nazareth foul RIT's Kyle Goff broke the string of seven straight missed free throws, making 1-of-2, giving RIT an 80-79 lead. Nazareth had two chances to take the lead but were unable to hit a shot late. RIT finally settled down at the free throw line, making them when it counted. Kyle Goff intercepted a pair of in bounds passes by Nazareth to end the game 84-79.

RIT had three players score in double figures led by Kyle Goff's 25 points. The junior forward also grabbed seven caroms and had three steals. Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) added 22 points, including six three pointers and led RIT with nine rebounds. Fran Snyder (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon St. Jude) chipped in 16 points and had a team-high seven assists. Jesse Foote (Lockwood, N.Y./Spencer-Van Ettan) was outstanding defensively for the Tigers blocking seven shots.

RIT will face Geneseo State on Saturday afternoon at 1:15 p.m. in the fifth place game. That contest will be played at Nazareth College. Geneseo State defeated Keuka College in the day's first game at the U of R.