| 1/29/2005 7:42:29 PM

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UTICA, NY - The RIT Men's Basketball team outscored Utica College 14-7 in overtime, earning their fifth straight Empire 8 victory, 75-68 over the Pioneers in a critical conference match-up on Saturday afternoon.

Junior guard Tyler Springer (Endwell, NY/Maine-Endwell) (Endwell, NY/Maine-Endwell) led four Tigers in double figures, scoring a career-high 19 points to go along with a personal best eight rebounds.  Classmate Fran Snyder (Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon St. Jude)(Buffalo, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude) poured in 12 points, and gave RIT a lead it would not relinquish in the overtime period with a made jumper with 2:38 left in the extra session. 

Seniors Sean Murphy (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) (Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North) and Kyle Goff (Manassas, VA/Stonewall Jackson) (Manassas, VA/Stonewall Jackson) scored 13 and 10 points respectively.  Murphy grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, while Goff pulled down seven boards. 

Jesse Foote (Lockwood, NY/Spencer-Van Ettan) (Spencer Van Ettan) scored four of his six points in the overtime for RIT.  Tim Bacon (Massena, NY/Massena) (Massena, NY/Massena) chipped in with nine points and four rebounds.

RIT out-rebounded Utica 44-37, but shot just 58.1 percent (18-of-31) from the free-throw line. 

Utica led 30-28 at the half.  RIT shot just 38 percent from the field in the contest. 

Justin Cichon led Utica (9-7, 5-2 Empire 8) with 28 points.  Tim Troy scored 10 points and snagged eight rebounds.

RIT (12-6, 6-1 Empire 8) will attempt to move into a tie for first place in the Empire 8 standings on Friday, as they host St. John Fisher, who is currently ranked #7 in the nation and is undefeated, with a 18-0 (7-0 Empire 8)record.  The Cardinals handed RIT its only Empire 8 loss, 84-72 on January 8th.