Box Score
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team (16-7) defeated visiting Houghton (1-24) 85-72 Tuesday night at Ben Light Gymnasium.
Ithaca held an edge the entire game. The Highlanders were within striking distance, 28-26, at 7:42, but Ithaca took at double-digit advantage at 4:25. The Bombers constructed a 10-3 run to lead 50-37 at the half. Despite a 16-point deficit five minutes into the second, Houghton challenged the Bombers late in the game. Ithaca found itself with an eight-point margin with 1:17 lingering in action, but closed out the game on a 6-1 run for the win.
Junior
Frank Mitchell powered to his seventh career double-double with game-high performances of 25 points and 12 rebounds. Three additional Bombers earned double-digit points. Senior
Eli Maravich scored a career-high 19, shooting 4-for-7 from three-point land, and added seven boards. Junior
Tom Sweeney tallied 17 and freshman
Joey Ross chipped in a career-best 12.
Senior
Sean Rossi served up 11 assists, eight of which were in the first half, to move into third all-time in NCAA Division III history with 895 career assists. He is chasing the DIII record of 917.
A Mitchell jumper at 19:42 put the Bombers ahead for good. Ithaca instated an eight-point gap at 11:53. Houghton pulled within two on four occasions, but the Bombers pieced together a 9-0 run for a 38-27 advantage at 4:25. The Highlanders crept within six, but Ithaca scored 10 of the final 13 points to hold a 50-37 lead at intermission. Ithaca had a 12-0 gap in second-chance points in the first 20 of play.
Both teams scored 35 points in the second. An
Andrew Brandt dunk at 14:34 secured the Bombers their largest lead of the contest, 62-46. The Highlanders scored the next six straight, while holding IC silent for five minutes. A Maravich three sparked the Bomber offense, but the visiting squad went on to cut the gap to 79-71 at 1:17. Ithaca shot 6-for-8 from the charity stripe during the final minute of play en route to victory.
Ithaca shot 47.6 percent from the floor to the Highlanders' 45.8 percent and owned a 40-36 edge in rebounds.
The Bombers return to play on Friday, Feb. 15 hosting Utica at 8 p.m.
