Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team (12-4, 7-1 Empire 8) silenced 20th-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology (14-3, 5-2 Empire 8), 80-69, on Friday evening at Ben Light Gymnasium.

The Bombers, who have won nine of their last 10 games, closed out the first half with 12 unanswered to secure a permanent lead. Ithaca put away the first three buckets of the second for the first double-digit lead of the game. Despite trailing 63-49 at 7:45, the Ducks pieced together a 9-2 run to pull within six at the two-minute mark, but the Bombers outlasted Stevens, improving their all-time series record over the Ducks to 8-3, 5-1 at home.

Five Bombers earned double-digit point totals. Junior Frank Mitchell led the team with 19, while senior Travis Warech tallied 14, seniors Andrei Oztemel and Sean Rossi each had 12 and senior Eli Maravich recorded 10. Oztemel's 12 lifted him over the 1,200-point threshold and into 10th-place all-time in program history with 1,209. Warech neared a double-double with nine boards. Mitchell and Oztemel each had seven. Rossi and senior Jordan Healey each had five assists.

The lead changed 12 times in the first half. Neither squad held more than a three-point lead until the Ducks snapped a 24-24 deadlock with seven straight. Stevens improved its lead to eight, 37-29, at 3:27, before the Bombers got hot. Ithaca held the visiting squad silent over the final 3:27 of play for a 41-37 edge at intermission. Four consecutive free throws brought Ithaca within striking distance, but it was an Oztemel trey backed by a Mitchell and-one that put the Bombers ahead. Mitchell closed out the half with two from the charity stripe.

Stevens' shooting grew cold in the second stint. The Ducks converted just 28.6 percent of their attempts, after making good on 57.1 percent in the first frame.

Ithaca opened the second with a 10-1 run good for a 22-1 run that bridged the halves. The Ducks cut within seven at the 11-minute mark, but Maravich and Oztemel combined for seven consecutive to take the largest lead of the game, 63-49, at 7:45. A 9-2 Stevens streak pulled the Ducks within six, but Ithaca went 7-for-9 from the line down the strech and time expired in Ithaca's favor, 80-69.

Ithaca shot 45.5 percent from the floor, while Stevens hit 41.3 percent of its attempts. The Ducks owned the rebound margin, 41-35.

The Bombers return to action on Saturday at 4 p.m. hosting the Hartwick Hawks.