ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT (13-12, 8-8 Liberty League) men's basketball team clinched a spot in the upcoming Liberty League Tournament with an 80-75 win over Union College (10-14, 4-11 Liberty League) on Senior Night at Clark Gymnasium. The Tigers earned a spot in the conference tournament for the first time since joining the Liberty League in 2011, and the first post-season action for the Tigers since 2010 when RIT was part of the Empire 8.

Trailing by 12 points at halftime, RIT rallied to score 54 points in the second half for the win. The Tigers shot 41.4 percent from the floor on 29-of-70 shooting. RIT made 9-of-28 from behind the arc, and went 13-of-22 from the foul line. AJ Horde (Oak Park, MI/University of Detroit Jesuit) led RIT with 23 points, including 16 in the second half. JP Reagan (Cortland, NY/Cortland) finished with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Miguel Lopez (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/St. Francis) and Kamron Davis (Syracuse, NY/Nottingham) scored 13 and 10 points respectively off the bench for RIT. Joe Stortini (Red Hook, NY/Loomis Chaffee) scored 10 second-half points, including some big free throws down the stretch.
 
Ryan Whelpley led Union with 17 points and eight rebounds. Deshon Burgess added 15 points, while William Hython scored 14 points for the Dutchmen who shot 39.7 percent from the floor.

RIT trailed throughout much of the first half, falling behind by as many as 15 points on a pair of Whelpley free throws at the 3:47 mark.

The Tigers pulled to within seven points late in the half, but trailed 36-28 at the break. RIT was 11-of-34 (32.4%) from the floor in the first half, led by Horde and Lopez, who each scored seven. Whelpley led Union with eight first-half points.
 
RIT trailed into the second half, falling behind 41-29 at the 17:39 mark on a layup by Burgess. A Casey Bobelis (Bradenton, FL/Braden River) bucket with 13:12 to play capped off a 15-6 run by the Tigers, cutting the Union lead to 47-44.

Union weathered that storm, extending its lead back to 53-46 on a Burgess jumper with 10:02 to play.
 
But, the Tigers came back with a vengeance, tying the score at 53-53 on a 3-pointer from Reagan with 7:54 to play. RIT went on a 21-4 run over 6:53 span late in the second half, taking 67-57 lead on a layup by Lopez with 3:49 to play.

Union got close down the stretch, but no closer than five points on a late bucket by Hython, cutting the Tigers lead to 80-75.

RIT held a 52-46 rebounding advantage, tallying 18 second-chance points. The Tigers scored 38 points in the paint, and 37 points off the bench.

RIT, the fourth seed, awaits its Liberty League Tournament opponent. The Tigers return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 25 in the Liberty League Tournament Semifinals. Stay tuned to www.ritathletics.com for updated date, time and location for the semifinal game.