NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The RIT men's basketball team defeated Johnson & Wales (N.C.), 71-66, in the opening game of the Captain's Shootout at Christopher Newport, Monday evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Tigers led 37-35 at halftime after a back-and-forth first half as neither team managed to lead by more than four points.
- RIT built its largest lead of five points midway through the second half on a dunk by sophomore guard Mushin Muhammad.
- Johnson & Wales tied the game at 64-64 with 2:30 remaining, but graduate student forward Josiah Turner's layup and junior guard Zac Ditzel's free throws put RIT up by five points with 46 seconds left.
- Ethan Smith hit a jumper with 24 seconds remaining for the Wildcats to cut the lead to three points before first-year guard Jason Gibbs sealed the win for the Tigers by making a pair of free throws with 20 seconds left on the clock.
GAME NOTES
- Ditzel led RIT with 15 points, going 5-of-12 from the field while hauling in nine rebounds and dishing out a career-high seven assists.
- Turner added 14 points and eight rebounds, while Muhammad chipped in 12 points for the Tigers.
- RIT shot 44.1 percent from the floor while holding Johnson & Wales to 39.4 percent overall.
- Both Cooper Wiley and Smith each scored a game-high 17 points for the Wildcats.
- With the win, RIT improves to 3-4 on the season.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Tigers close out the Captain's Shootout tomorrow (Dec. 30) against the hosts, Christopher Newport, at 7 p.m.
