Men's Basketball | 1/15/2011 5:13:26 PM

Box Score Click here for game stats

ELMIRA, NY - Junior guard Justin Heisig (Levittown, NY/Island Trees) scored 18 of his game-high 21 points in the first half, as the RIT men's basketball team (7-8, 4-2 Empire 8) built a 23-point halftime lead and cruised to a 72-55 win over Elmira (1-13, 0-5 Empire 8) Speidel Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

Heisig shot 9-for-12 overall from the floor, pulled down 10 boards, and nabbed five steals.  He was 8-for-10 from the field with four steals in the opening half.

RIT broke open a close game in the first half by going on a 26-5 run over the final 10:48 to go into the break with a 41-18 lead.  The Tigers shot 64 percent from the field in the first half.

Brendan Harder (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) was RIT's second scorer in double figures, finishing with 13 points.  Darryl Anderson (San Diego, CA/Southwest) and Anthony Terry (Rochester, NY/Bishop Kearney) added eight points apiece.  Nate Korinchak (Strongsville, OH/Strongsville) chipped in with seven boards and four steals. 

Kurt Dutcher led Elmira with 16 points.  Bobby DiPiazza tallied 14 points and six boards.  Derrick Vogel added 12 points, three assists, and four steals.

RIT won the battle of the boards, 35-31.  RIT held Elmira to 36 percent shooting from the field.  Elmira was just 5-for-24 from 3-point range.

Elmira got within 13 late in the second half, but RIT would pull away late.

The Tigers won both meetings between the two teams this season.  RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 23-9.

The Tigers return to action on Saturday, making the short trip to St. John Fisher to play the Cardinals in an Empire 8 contest that gets underway at 4 p.m.