| 11/30/2007 10:06:58 PM

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PITTSFORD, NY -- The RIT men's basketball team dropped their first game of the season with an 84-80 loss at St. John Fisher in Empire 8 action on Friday.

RIT had a shot to tie the score with five seconds remaining. Rick Whitwood (Wellsville, NY/Wellsville) (Wellssville, NY) stole the inbounds pass. He tapped the ball to Kenny Gethers (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes) (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes), but Gethers was called for charging sealing the game for the Cardinals.

There were five ties and eight lead changes in the first half. RIT's biggest lead was three points early on. The Cardinals went on a run, building a 10-point lead on a layup by Ozell Franklin.

RIT closed the gap with a run of their own to close out the half, trailing by four points at 42-38. Scott Young (Hornell, NY) paced the Tigers with 16 first-half points. Kenny Gethers (Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes) added 10 points.

St. John Fisher held a slim lead through most of the second half. RIT made a run and took a four point lead on a three-pointer by Shawn Roe (Corning, NY/Corning East).

The lead went back and forth over the final eight minutes until the 3:09 mark when Chris Baltz nailed a three-pointer. That basket gave the Cardinals a lead they would not relinquish.

The difference was free throw shooting. RIT made 22-of-34 from the free throw line and Fisher went 26-of-32.

Gethers scored 19 of his game-high 29 points in the second half. He also grabbed 12 rebounds. Young finished with 19 points, going 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Mark Carson (Voorheesville, NY/Voorheesville) added 10 points.

The Tigers will host Nazareth College on Tuesday, December 4 at 8 pm in Empire 8 action.