Hoboken, N.J.--The men's basketball team (18-7, 11-5 Empire 8) defeated Stevens Institute of Technology (17-6, 9-5 Empire 8) 76-63 in the final regular season game of the season for Ithaca. The Bombers' fourth straight win ensured they will be at least the third-seeded team at the Empire 8 Championship Tournament. The playoffs will be held Feb. 26-27 at St. John Fisher.

The two teams entered the second half tied at 34, and the teams played within three points of each other for the first five minutes of the second half. A layup from junior Chris Cruz-Rivas (Syracuse/West Genesee) put the Bombers up 44-43, a lead they would not give up for the remainder of the contest. Cruz-Rivas was the game's leading scorer with 23 points.

The Bombers went to the free throw line 13 times in the final five minutes of play, and made nine of the shots. Freshman Sean Rossi (Sparta/Sparta, N.J.) was 7-of-10 from the line in stretch. He finished with 17 points and added seven assists.

Junior Phil Barera (Belmont/Belmont, Mass.) also scored 17 points and added a game-high 15 rebounds for his 11th double-double of the season.

Senior Tom Brown (Bayport-Blue Point/Bayport) contributed 10 rebounds and two steals in the win.

Neither team led by more than three points in the first half, with the lead changing eight times. A three-pointer from freshman Eli Maravich (Chartiers Valley/Pittsburgh, Pa.) knotting the score at 34 in the final minute of the period.

The Bombers seeding in the Empire 8 tournament will be determined by the remaining games for Stevens and Nazareth. Ithaca has qualified for the conference tournament in each of the last seven seasons. No other team in the Empire 8 has a longer active streak.

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