Vassar Closes Season With Win Over Ithaca

By Steven Merritt

ITHACA – The Vassar College Men’s Basketball team closed the season on Saturday afternoon with a 79-78 road victory over Ithaca at Ben Light Gymnasium on the South Hill. The Brewers conclude the 2023-24 campaign with a 10-15 overall record and 8-10 mark in conference action while the Bombers finish at 12-13 overall and 7-11 in Liberty League play.

First Half

Vassar came out firing in the first four minutes as junior Luke Adams and first year Sebastian Medina combined for nine points to lead the Brewers out to a 11-2 advantage.
Following a three-pointer from Triston Wennersten, first year Shea Fitzgerald poured in five straight points to put Vassar ahead 16-5 at the 14:57 mark.

Another Fitzgerald conversion with 10:45 remaining pushed the Brewers lead to 12 before the lead grew to 13 on a triple from first year Avery Lee with 6:58 to go.

Ithaca reduced the lead to eight on a Cole Wissink free throw at the 2:55 mark before Vassar built the lead back to 12 on a putback from senior Case Parsons at the end of the opening half.

The Brewers shot an even 50-percent overall in the first half while going 4-for-12 from three-point territory.

Ithaca finished the first half shooting 39.3-percent from the field and went 4-for-16 from three.

Second Half

The Bombers opened the second half on a 13-4 run as Wennersten’s triple with 16:35 remaining trimmed the lead to three.

Following a jumper from Lee to push the lead to five, the Bombers went on a 9-2 run to take its first lead on Andrew Geschickter’s three-pointer with 13:26 to go.

Vassar regained the lead on a putback from sophomore Nathan Denham with 9:42 remaining and Denham’s layup with 8:24 to go pushed the Brewers ahead 62-59.

Logan Wendell’s layup tied the game at 63 before Vassar went on a 8-2 run to push ahead 71-65 on a bucket from sophomore JP Miranda.

A Wennersten triple with 3:33 remaining got Ithaca within one before a Lee lay-in got the lead back to three with 2:26 to go.

Wendell got the game within one on a putback at the 1:18 mark but Fitzgerald countered with a mid-range jumper to make it 79-76 with 27 seconds remaining.

Wendell connected on two free throws to get within one once again but Vassar forced a missed shot with under a second remaining to clinch its second road victory of the season.

The Brewers closed the second half shooting 53.6-percent overall and were just 1-for-6 from three-point range.

Ithaca finished the second half shooting 48.6-percent from the field and converted 6-for-14 from three.

For The Brewers

Lee tallied a team-high 18 points off the bench on 6-for-10 shooting while Fitzgerald finished with 16 points (6-for-11), five rebounds and three assists.

Medina tied his career high in points with 12 along with seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

Denham recorded 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench and Parsons registered eight points and seven rebounds.

For The Bombers

Wendell finished with 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting and added nine assists and four rebounds.

Wennersten added 22 points and six rebounds while Alex Penders tallied 15 points on 6-for-7 from the field.