Vassar College Outlasts RIT For Third Straight Win

By Steven Merritt

POUGHKEEPSIE – The Vassar College Men’s Basketball team battled to its third straight victory on Saturday evening as the Brewers completed the season series sweep of the Rochester Institute of Technology in a 63-61 triumph at the Athletics and Fitness Center.

The Brewers improve to 9-13 overall and 7-8 in Liberty League play while the Tigers fall to 11-11 overall and 7-8 in conference action.

First Half
RIT scored first eight points of the game as Brock Bowen and Chase Dickens knocked down three-pointers before Vassar went on a 15-2 to take a 15-10 lead on a jumper from sophomore JP Miranda.

The Tigers drew even at 15 following five straight points from Matt Caggiano until sophomore Nathan Denham’s layup at the 8:37 mark put the Brewers ahead 21-15.

RIT tied the game at 27 on a free throw from Kenny Wilburn before junior Alex Walters drilled a three-pointer as Vassar took a 30-29 lead into the halftime break.

Vassar shot 35.5-percent from the field, including 4-for-13 from three-point range, while going 4-for-6 from the free throw line.

RIT finished the first half shooting 31.0-percent overall while going 4-for-12 from three and 7-for-8 from the free throw line.

Second Half
Vassar went ahead 34-31 on a dunk from senior Case Parsons before Keegan Ocorr’s jumper drew the Tigers even at 36 with 16:27 remaining.

Josiah Turner tallied four straight points to go ahead 40-36 until the Brewers tied it at 44 all on a jumper from first year Avery Lee.

Two free throws from Bowen put the game at 53 all with 6:35 to go before buckets from Miranda and Denham pushed Vassar ahead by four.

Another layup from Denham kept the Vassar lead at four with 3:02 remaining until Bowen laid in a bucket to even it up at 61 with 1:41 to go.

Adams and Lee each connected on a free throw in the final minute to make it 63-61 as the Brewers got a defensive stop to earn its third straight victory.

Vassar finished shooting 56-percent in the second half while going 1-for-5 from three and 4-for-11 from free throw line.

The Tigers shot an even 50-percent, including 1-for-7 from three, and 5-for-8 from free throw line.

For The Brewers
Denham tallied a team-high 13 points off the bench while adding three rebounds and three steals.

Lee recorded 11 points and eight boards while Adams scored 10 points.

Parsons finished with eight points and four rebounds while first year Kreekor Karageuzian handed out a team-high four assists.

For The Tigers
Caggiano finished with a game-high 15 points off the bench while Bowen tallied 14 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Turner recorded 12 points, seven boards and three assists along with Dickens adding nine points, three steals, two blocks and two assists.