Men's Basketball | 1/6/2009 11:05:13 PM
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ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's basketball team (7-3, 5-0 Empire 8) moved to 5-0 in Empire 8 play and snapped St. John Fisher's (7-2, 2-1 Empire 8) seven-game winning streak, 56-36 on Tuesday evening at Clark Gymnasium. The 36 points allowed by the Tigers were the fewest since allowing the same against Hilbert on Nov. 29, 1997.
RIT's stout defense allowed just 15 second-half points to the Cardinals. St. John Fisher shot just 21.2 percent from the field and 29.1 overall. The Cardinals were just 1-of-12 from 3-point range. The 36 points scored by the Cardinals are a season-low.
The last time St. John Fisher scored fewer than 36 points was during the 1965-66 season in a 56-32 loss to SUNY Potsdam.
The Tigers won the battle of the boards, 51-31 and were 14-for-17 (82.4 percent) from the free-throw line. The Tigers shot just 34 percent from the field.
Senior center Mark Carson (Voorheesville, NY/Voorheesville) (Voorheesville, NY/Voorheesville), the national leader in rebounding, recorded his second 20-20 game of the season and ninth double-double, scoring 20 points to go along with five blocks and five steals. The five blocks and five steals were both career-highs. He is now averaging 15.4 rebounds per game this season.
RIT put the game away early in the second half, going on a 17-4 run over the first 11:02 of the half to take a 47-25 lead.
Scott Young (Almond, NY/Hornell) (Almond, NY/Hornell) drained three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points and eight boards. Freshman Brendan Harder (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) tallied six points and six boards, while Randy Muldrow (Buffalo, NY/City Honors) (Buffalo, NY/City Honors) chipped in with six points. #Nate Korinchak (Strongsville, OH/Strongsville)# (Strongsville, OH/Strongsville) recorded a game-high four assists and added six boards.
The Tigers ended the half on a 10-2 run over the final 4:47 of the half to take a 30-21 lead after 20 minutes of play. RIT led 20-19 before Young hit a 3-pointers on successive possessions to put RIT up seven.
RIT shot just 35.5 percent from the field in the opening half, but out-rebounded St. John Fisher 23-14 and forced 11 Cardinals turnovers.
RIT last allowed less than 36 points in a game in 1950-51, when they beat the Ontario Aggies, 96-25.
Carson was a monster in the first half, scoring 14 points to go along with 10 boards, five steals and a pair of blocks. Young and Harder chipped in with five first-half boards apiece.
Trevor Stearns led St. John Fisher with eight points and seven rebounds.
The Tigers are back in action on Sunday, as they host Ithaca in a battle of Empire 8 unbeatens. Tip-off is at 2 p.m.
