ITHACA, N.Y. – The RIT men's basketball team fell to Ithaca, 101-72, Friday evening.
 
The Tigers jumped out to an early lead and held a 45-43 advantage at halftime, but Ithaca erupted for 58 second-half points to pull away.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The visitors opened the game on an 11-2 run, sparked by a fast-break layup from junior guard Zac Ditzel and a jumper from sophomore guard Muhsin Muhammad.
• Nolan Smith, a junior forward, drilled a three-pointer to give the Tigers their largest lead of the night at 19-8 midway through the first half.
• Graduate student forward Josiah Turner converted a layup and later hit a three-pointer to put RIT ahead 40-35 before halftime.
• Ithaca stormed back with a 15-4 run to start the second half, capped by Matthew Zenker's fast-break three-pointer for a 48-47 lead.
• Evan Cabral scored nine straight during a decisive stretch, including a layup and a pair of free throws, to extend Ithaca's lead to double digits.
• The Bombers sealed the win with a dominant final five minutes, outscoring RIT 23-10 behind Cabral's free throws and Zenker's late three-pointer.

 
GAME NOTES

• Muhammad led the Tigers with 21 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.
• Turner added 16 points and seven rebounds, while Zac Ditzel chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds.
• RIT shot 40.6 percent (28-of-69) from the floor and 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from three-point range.
• Ithaca's Evan Cabral scored a game-high 33 points on 11-of-15 shooting and added five assists as the Bombers shot 52.3 percent overall and hit 15 three-pointers.
• RIT slips to 4-7 overall and 1-3 in Liberty League play with the setback.

 
WHAT'S NEXT
RIT is back in action tomorrow (Jan. 11), traveling to face Hobart in a 4 p.m. contest at Bristol Gym in Geneva.