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ROCHESTER, NY – The University of Rochester ended the game on an 8-2 run over the final 3:49, breaking a 52-52 tie and handing the RIT men’s basketball team a 60-54 loss in non-conference play at the Palestra on Tuesday evening.

 

Senior Rob Hampton (Ocala, FL/Belleview) (Ocala, FL/Belleview) converted on a four-point play with 3:49 left, tying the game at 52.  The play capped off a 10-2 RIT run that saw the Tigers come back from eight down just minutes earlier.

 

Tim Brackney scored the final eight points for the Yellowjackets to give them the win.  He gave U of R a 55-52 with a 3-pointer of his own with 2:29 left, then with the Yellowjackets nursing a 55-54 lead, hit another 3-pointer to give his team some breathing room.  After two RIT misses on the other end, Brackney hit two free-throws to seal the game.  Brackney finished with 14 points.

 

Hampton scored all 11 of his points in the second half for the Tigers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped and fall to 5-3. 

 

Senior Tim Bacon (Massena. NY/Massena) (Massena, NY/Massena) and junior Kenny Gethers (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes) (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes) each had 12 points and nine rebounds to lead RIT.  Gethers also had three assists.

 

Mike Chmielowiec led the Yellowjackets with 18 points and six rebounds.  Jon Onyiriuka chipped in with eight points, six rebounds, five blocks and three assists for Rochester, who improve to 7-2.

 

U of R led 30-28 at the half, as neither team was able to maintain more than a five-point lead, as there were five ties and three lead changes.

 

RIT turned the ball over nine times in the first half to just four for Rochester, but the Tigers shot 52 percent (12-for-23) from the field.  In the second half, the Tigers could not regain their hot shooting touch, converting just 33 percent over the final 20 minutes of play.

RIT will open the Empire 8 schedule with a home game against St. John Fisher College on Friday.  Tip-off is at 8 p.m.