Allegheny, Pa.--Ithaca opened the National City Tournament with a 97-75 win over Baldwin-Wallace (1-3). The Bombers improved to 5-0, matching their best start since 1960 and the second-best start in program history. The 1941-42 team opened with seven straight wins. Ithaca will take on the winner of Saturday's game between host Allegheny and Hilbert on Sunday.

Senior guard Sean Burton (Yorkville/Notre Dame) led all players with a season-high 29 points. He made four of six three-point attempts and all seven of his free throws. Burton narrowly missed a triple-double, tallying nine assists and a career-high eight rebounds. In five games this season, Burton has scored at least 20 points three times.

Burton led five players that reached double-figures in scoring. Senior swingman Brendan Rogers (Liverpool/Liverpool) notched 17 points with fellow starters Sean Leahy (West Genesee/Syracuse) and Chris Cruz (West Genesee/Camillus) contributing 13 and 10, respectively. Freshman guard Jordan Marcus (Solomon Schechter/West Orange, N.J.) added 11 points in 18 minutes off the bench. As a team, The Bombers shot .504 from the floor, and were even more accurate from behind the arc, making 13 of their 24 three-point attempts (.542).

Jeff Bostic (Geneva/Geneva) was the game's leading rebounder with 12, including 11 on the defensive end.

The Bombers never trailed in the game, and opened the contest on a 16-9 run. Baldwin-Wallace was last within a basket at 11-9 with just over thirteen minutes to play in the opening half. Ithaca graduate student Scott Ruffrage (Utica Notre Dame/Whitesboro) hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to 14-9 and the Bombers would not lead by fewer than five for the remainder of the contest.

Ithaca will play in the championship game Sunday at 3 p.m.
 

Box Score