Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Ithaca College men's basketball team (4-8, 1-0 Empire 8) rallied from a seven-point second-half deficit to beat the visiting St. John Fisher Cardinals (7-5, 0-1 Empire 8), 71-65, in the conference opener for both teams.

The Bombers took an early five-point lead before the Cardinals took over the first at 14:22. St. John Fisher bridged its lead into the second and improved its gap to seven, 44-37, but the Bombers pieced together a 13-5 run to claim a 50-49 edge at 11:26. Ithaca outscored the visitors 39-31 in the second frame to snap its three-game losing skid.

Sophomore Frank Mitchell (Hillsborough/Hillsborough, N.J.) tallied a game-best 24 points and eight boards, while sophomore Christian Jordan (Cherokee/Marlton, N.J.) went 5-for-7 from the floor and 3-for-3 from three-point land for a career-high 17 points.

Junior Sean Rossi (Sparta/Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) posted a game-best nine assists and added eight points and a career-high tying six boards. Also with career-best showings, junior Jordan Healey (Summit/Summit, N.J.) pulled down a game-high tying eight rebounds and freshman Max Masucci (Hopkinton/Hopkinton, Mass.) had seven points.

Ithaca took a 7-2 lead just 2:36 into the game, but nine unanswered helped the Cardinals take control of the half. St. John Fisher held a 34-29 margin with one minute lingering in the first, a lead the Bombers dwindled to two with a Mitchell and-one play. The Cardinals led 34-32 at intermission.

St. John Fisher surged to a seven-point gap at 16:25 in the second on one of its eight three pointers of the night. Ithaca answered with a 13-5 run and converted that streak into a 34-21, 15-minute stretch of play. Ithaca scored six of the game's final eight points to secure the win.

The Bombers held a 42-33 advantage on the glass, while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor to the Cardinal's 39.3 percent. The game was tied on six occasions and had its lead change 10 times.

Ithaca hosts Nazareth Saturday at 4 p.m.