Men's Basketball | 11/28/2012 6:37:00 PM

Box Score

GENEVA, NY -- The RIT (1-1) men's basketball team held a halftime lead, but were defeated by The University of Rochester 66-59 in the first round of the 47th Annual Wendy's College Classic on the campus of Hobart College Wednesday evening.

The Tigers held a 35-31 halftime lead, thanks to a 21-8 run to end the half, but were outscored 35-24 in the second half, falling to the Yellowjackets who advance to the semifinals on Friday at 8 pm.

Trailing by as many as nine points early in the first half, the Tigers stormed back, outscoring the Yellowjackets 21-8 over the final 11:22 of the half to take the 35-31 lead into halftime.

RIT shot 51.7 percent from the floor in the first half, on 15-of-29 shooting. The Tigers held a 19-11 rebounding edge and were 5-of-6 from three point land.

RIT took its first lead of the half with 1:03 to play on a layup by Jameel Balenton (Syracuse, NY/Christian Brothers), who finished with eight first-half points.

Nate Vernon missed the second of two free throws with :43 seconds to play in the half. The Tigers ran the shot clock down, and with :11 seconds to play, freshman Mike D'Amico drained a three-pointer to give RIT a four point edge.

Eric Travis (Chicago,IL/Hinsdale South) tallied eight points and grabbed two rebounds, while freshman #J.P. Reagan# added six points for the Tigers.

RIT held onto the lead through the first 4:35 of the second half. A pair of John DiBartolomeo free throws tied the score at 38-38.

The Yellowjackets took a brief lead at the 13:13 mark on a layup by Rob Reid. But, on the Tigers next possession, a jumper by Casey Bobelis (Brandenton, FL/Braden River) tied the score at 40-40.

Rochester rattled off five quick points, taking a 45-40 lead on a layup by Kyle Reardon with 11:49 to play.
;
With 10:37 to play, Nick Dobson (Corning, NY/Corning West) was fouled going to the basket. He made both free throws pulling RIT to within one at 45-44. Dobson finished with 13 points and six rebounds.

With 7:49 to play and RIT trailing by two, Balenton, who led RIT with 14 points, made one of two free throws to pull the Tigers to within one of the Yellowjackets at 50-51.

DiBartolomeo scored the next five points for the Yellowjackets, and a Rob Reid layup gave Rochester a 58-50 lead with 5:56 to play.

RIT kept fighting, and with 5:06 to play, Eric Travis (Chicago,IL/Hinsdale South), who finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, drained a jumper to pull RIT to within four at 59-55.

DiBartolomeo, who led all scorers with 25, nailed a long three on Rochester's next possession to make it 62-55 Yellowjackets.

The Tigers got it back to a two-possession game with 2:35 to play, when Dobson made both free throws after being fouled to make 64-59 Rochester.

On the Yellowjackets next possession, Kent Coyne grabbed three huge offensive rebounds to keep the ball in Rochester's end, making one of two free throws to make it a five point lead and sealing the win for Rochester.

The Tigers shot just 23.1 percent from the floor in the second half, and made just 11-of-21 free throws for the game.

RIT will face the loser between St. John Fisher and The College at Brockport in the consolation round on Friday, Nov. 30 at 6 pm on the campus of SUNY Geneseo.