ITHACA, N.Y. -- The ninth-ranked men's basketball team (24-1, 15-1 Empire 8) routed visiting Rochester Institute of Technology 101-74 Sunday. The Bombers will host the Empire 8 Championship Tournament Saturday and Sunday, facing either Nazareth or St. John Fisher at 4 p.m. in the second of Saturday's semifinals, with RIT taking on Utica at 2 p.m. in the first.

Ithaca never trailed in the contest en route to its 15th conference win of the season. Freshman Jordan Marcus (Solomon Schechter/West Orange, N.J.) hit his first three-pointer of the second half to give the Bombers a 73-44 advantage - its largest lead of the contest. Marcus finished with 21 points off the bench.

Graduate student Scott Ruffrage (Notre Dame/Whitesboro) recorded his first career double-double with career-best totals of 15 points and 12 rebounds, including five on the offensive side. Ruffrage and Marcus each made four three-pointers in the win.

Sophomore Chris Cruz (West Genesee/Camillus) also tallied double-figures in scoring with 10 points. Junior Tom Brown (Bayport-Blue Point/Bayport) narrowly missed being the third Bomber to record a double-double on the day with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Ithaca jumped out to an early 19-6 lead in the game's first four minutes. The Bombers then connected on a three-pointer on its next three trips down the floor to extend the lead to 16 with eleven minutes to go in the half. Senior Sean Burton (Notre Dame/Yorkville) paced the Bombers during that stretch as he knocked down three field-goals from beyond the arc and a layup. He finished with a game-high 32 points, matching his scoring total from Friday's win over Nazareth. Burton made 12-of-18 shots from the floor and distributed 10 assists for his seventh double-double of the season. He also added a career-high six steals.

As a team, the Bombers knocked down 16 three-point field goals which ties a school record set last season against Oneonta. In the first half, Ithaca shot 53.8% (21-of-39) from the field and finished the game at 48.6%.

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