Men's Basketball | 1/19/2010 10:05:10 PM

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ITHACA, NY -- Despite 23 points from junior Anthony Terry (Rochester, NY/Bishop Kearney), the RIT men's basketball team lost at Ithaca 81-80 in Empire 8 action on Tuesday night. The loss drops RIT to 4-9 overall and 0-4 in the Empire 8.

Terry was one of three Tigers to score in double figures. Junior guard Nate Korinchak (Strongsville, OH/Strongsville) scored 13 points while Darryl Anderson (San Diego, CA/Southwest) chipped in 12 points. Marcus Lowe (Anchorage, AK/Service) and Brendan Harder (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) each scored nine points for RIT in the losing effort.

The Tigers led by 21 points at half time thanks to hot shooting from the floor. RIT shot 58.3 percent in the first half on 21-of-36 shooting including 4-of-8 from behind the arc. The 48 points scored by the Tigers in the first half was the second highest total on the season.

RIT jumped out to a 15-2 lead in the first 4:30 of the contest, and at one point in the half led the Bombers 26-7. The Tigers took their largest lead with 9:28 to play in the half on a lay-up by Marcus Lowe (Anchorage, AK/Service), giving RIT a 34-9 lead.

Darryl Anderson (San Diego, CA/Southwest) led the Tigers with 10 first-half points, shooting 5-of-7 from the field . Terry scored all nine of his points in the first half off of three point buckets. RIT scored 13 points off of eight Ithaca turnovers.

Terry opened the second half with an old fashioned three-point play, making the lay-up and converting the foul shot, giving RIT a 24-point lead.

Ithaca whittled the RIT lead down to 10 points at the midway point of the second half on the strength of a 23-9 run. The Bombers tied the score at 68-68 on a lay-up by Sean Rossi with 3:24 to play in the contest, capping off a 41-17 run by the Bombers.

With the Bombers up three points, Terry drained a three pointer with 2:12 to play tying the score at 74 apiece. Ithaca ran off four straight points to take a 78-74 lead with under a minute to play in regulation.

Terry pulled RIT to within a point with 34 seconds to play with his fifth three pointer of the contest. That cut the score to 78-77.

The Tigers fouled Ithaca down the stretch in hopes of extending the game. The Bombers only made 3-of-6 free throws, but RIT could not cash in until Marcus Lowe (Anchorage, AK/Service)'s three at the buzzer made it a one point win for the Bombers.

RIT shot 35.5 percent from the floor in the second, making just 11-of-31 shots.

The Tigers will look to get back on the winning track on Friday, January 22 when they host Empire 8 for Hartwick College at 8 pm. Friday's game will be part of RIT President Dr. Bill Destler's third annual Orange Hair Challenge. If RIT students fill Clark Gymnasium Dr. Destler will dye his hair orange at halftime of the men's game.