| 1/5/2007 9:46:25 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT men's basketball team (5-4, 0-1 Empire 8) opened Empire 8 play by falling to St. John Fisher by a score of 65-59 before a season-high crowd of 500 fans at the Clark Gym on Friday evening.

RIT held a 41-35 lead with 10:59 left in regulation, before Fisher went on a 21-6 run over a 6:38 span to go up 56-47 with 4:21 remaining.  RIT cut the Cardinals lead to 61-59 with 20 seconds left before Dan McSweeney slammed home an inbound pass to put the Cardinals up four.  RIT could not score on their next possession, then the Cardinals made two free-throws to ice the game.

McSweeney led St. John Fisher with 17 points and 11 rebounds.  Isiah Smalt shot 6-of-8 from the field for 12 points and added eight boards.  Dan Mueller added 14 points.

Kenny Gethers (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes) (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes) led RIT with 16 points and six rebounds.  He was 5-of-8 from the field.  Tim Bacon (Massena. NY/Massena) (Massena, NY/Massena) had 11 points for the Tigers.  The point guard duo of Colin Roy (Malta, NY/Ballston Spa) (Malta, NY/Ballston Spa) and Jim Torto (Binghamton, NY/Seton Catholic) (Binghamton, NY/Seton Catholic) combined for 13 assists. 

Scott Young (Almond, NY/Hornell) (Almond, NY/Hornell), Rick Whitwood (Wellsville, NY/Wellsville) (Wellsville, NY/Wellsville) and Rob Hampton (Ocala, FL/Belleview) (Ocala, FL/Belleview) had eight, seven and seven points respectively.

RIT led 27-23 at the half.

St. John Fisher is now 8-1 and has won eight straight after a season-opening loss. 

The Cardinals out-rebounded RIT 45-27 and shot 41.4 percent from the field.  RIT shot 40.7 percent from the field.

The Tigers are back in action on Saturday, as they host Alfred University at 2 p.m.