SCHENECTADY, NY -- The RIT (14-7, 8-4 Liberty League) men's basketball team beat Union College (6-12, 3-7 Liberty League) 77-73 in overtime in a key Liberty League contest Tuesday evening from Vinair Athletic Center. The Tigers led by 13 points at the half, trailed early in overtime, but rallied for the win to sweep the regular season series with the Dutchmen.

JP Reagan (Cortland, NY/Cortland) led RIT with 18 points and eight rebounds. Gabe Nicasio (Essex Junction, VT/Essex) added 14 points, while Brendan Reinert (Wheatfield, NY/Starpoint) and Miguel Lopez (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/St. Francis) each scored 10 for the Tigers who have now won three straight games.

The Tigers came out hot in the first half, leading by as many as 17 points on a layup by Desmond Scott (Murphy, TX/Plano East) with 8:52 to play. RIT shot 48.4 percent from the floor, leading 40-27 at the break. Nicasio led the Tigers with nine first-half points.

Union came back in the second half, shooting 47.1 percent from the floor. The Dutchmen took a 63-62 lead with 2:46 to play in regulation on a layup by William Hyton. Lopez answered right back on RIT's next possession with a layup with 2:24 to play giving the Tigers a 63-62 lead.

Deshon Burgess, who scored 15 points for Union, gave the Dutchmen a 64-63 lead with his jumper with 1:51 to play in regulation. Once again, RIT answered right back, when Nicasio drained a big three with 1:25 to play, giving the Tigers a 66-64 lead. Ryan Whepley tied the scored at 66-66 with 53 seconds to play.

Nicasio made one-of-two free throws with 42 seconds to play, giving RIT a 67-66 lead. Burgess' free throw with 36 seconds to play tied the score at 67-67. After a RIT timeout, Lopez missed a layup with one second on the clock and Burgess' desperation three at the buzzer missed sending the game to overtime.

Union opened the overtime scoring the first four points, taking a 71-67 lead on a layup by Hython, who led the Dutchmen with 17 points. Reagan's jumper on RIT's next possession cut the Union lead to 71-69.
After a Whinney free throw made it 72-69, Lopez drove to the hoop and laid it in, cutting the Dutchmen's lead to 72-71. With 2:01 to play in the overtime, Reagan made one-of-two free throws, tying the score at 72-72.

After a miss by Union on its next possession, Kamron Davis (Syracuse, NY/Nottingham) scored a bucket underneath, giving RIT a 74-72 lead. Hython made it 74-73 RIT on a free throw with 35 seconds to play. Davis missed a pair of free throws with 19 seconds to play giving Union one last chance to tie or win. After a timeout, Winnery missed a jumper and Davis came away with the defensive rebound. He stepped to line after being fouled and calmlt made both free throws securing the 77-73 win for the Tigers. Davis finished with six points, seven rebounds, a steal and a block.

RIT returns to action on Friday, February 14 when the Tigers host St. Lawrence at 8 p.m. on the floor of Clark Gym.