Men's Basketball | 12/2/2009 10:00:51 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY -- The RIT men's basketball team defeated cross-town rival the University of Rochester (5-1), 63-58 in non-conference action on Wednesday night. The Tigers never trailed in the game en route to evening their record to 2-2 on the season.

RIT led by as many as 17 points in the first half, thanks to hot shooting. The Tigers shot 54.2 percent from the floor in the first half, including 4-of-8 from behind the arc. Junior Shawn Roe (Corning, NY/Corning East) led RIT with 11 first-half points. He was 4-for-5 from the floor, including 3-for-3 from behind the arc. The Yellowjackets outscored RIT 10-2 over the final 5:18 of the first half, cutting the Tigers lead to 33-24 at the break.

RIT opened up a 14-point lead early in the second half on a made jumper by Roe. That basket gave the Tigers a 45-31 lead with 14:56 to play.

Rochester clawed their way back into the game, outscoring RIT 14-4 in a six minute span in the middle of the second half. Rochester's David Gould drained a three-pointer with 1:42 to play in the game to cut RIT's lead to three-points, the closest the Yellowjackets had been since the opening moments of the game.

Marcus Lowe (Anchorage, AK/Service) answered back for RIT with a three-pointer on the Tigers very next possession to give the home team a 61-55 lead.

Gould answered back for the Yellowjackets, draining his second consecutive three-pointer, making it a three-point game with 48 seconds to play.

On RIT's next possession, junior Anthony Terry (Rochester, NY/Bishop Kearney) drove towards the bucket as the shot clock wound down. He turned the ball over, but Mike Mike Labanowski, who had stolen the ball for Rochester, turned the ball right back over to RIT. Nate Korinchak (Strongsville, OH/Strongsville) got the loose ball and was fouled. He calmly made both ends of the one-and-one, giving RIT a 63-58 lead, and sealing the win for the Tigers.

Korinchak and Roe led RIT with 13 points apiece. Korinchak scored nine of his 13 points in the second half. Terry added 12 points off the bench and Brendan Harder (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) added nine points and six rebounds. Scott Young (Almond, NY/Hornell) was held to five points but grabbed six key rebounds for the Tigers. Marcus Lowe (Anchorage, AK/Service) led RIT with four assists.

RIT opens Empire 8 conference play this weekend. The Tigers travel to St. John Fisher on Saturday, December 5. Tip-off is at 4 pm in Pittsford, New York.