| 2/10/2006 11:31:05 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT men's basketball team dropped to 13-9 and 7-4 in the Empire 8 after falling to Utica College by a score of 71-64 in Empire 8 action on Friday night.  The win improves Utica to 7-3 in conference and 16-5 overall.

Rob Hampton (Ocala, FL/Belleview) (Ocala, FL/Belleview) led RIT with a career-high 21 points on 9 of 13 shooting from the field.  Hampton also added five rebounds and two steals in just 23 minutes of action.

Senior Drew Martin (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) had perhaps his best game of the season, scoring a season-high 12 points to go along with a team-best seven rebounds and four assists.  Tim Bacon (Massena, NY/Massena) (Massena, NY/Massena) and Barrett Zeinfeld (Tuscon, AZ/Catalina Foothills) (Tucson, AZ/Catalina Foothills) scored nine points apiece for the Tigers.

Ray Bryant led three Pioneers in double figures with 26 points.  He also contributed game highs of 11 rebounds and five steals.  Justin Cichon chipped in with 17 points, while Willie Lucas had 16 points, seven boards, four assists and three steals.

The Tigers shot a respectable 48 percent from the field, but shot less than 50 percent from the free-throw line and turned the ball over 16 times.

Utica led 35-26 after 20 minutes of play.

RIT held one lead, midway through the first half, as they were up 17-16.  The Pioneers went on an 11-3 run to close out the first half.  Utica led by as much as 12 in the second half.

The Tigers are back in action on Saturday afternoon, as they play Hartwick College in their final road game of the season at 4 p.m.