ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team improved to 9-3 on the season and 4-1 in the Liberty League with a 77-61 win over RIT on Tuesday evening inside Ben Light Gymnasium. The win also moves head coach Jim Mullins into a tie on the all-time coaching victories list at 307 with Tom Baker (1979-97).

The Bombers put together one of their best defensive efforts on Tuesday as they forced RIT to commit 23 turnovers – 12 via steals, which led to 29 points. IC also held the Tigers to just 39.3-percent shooting (22-for-56) from the floor and matched RIT in rebounds with 41 (16 offensive). RIT entered the game averaging nearly 44 boards a contest and plus-four in rebounding margin.

Offensively, Ithaca shot 43.8% overall (32-for-73) and assisted on 17 made baskets. The Bombers also went 9-for-13 at the free throw line and scored 48 points in the paint.

Senior Marc Chasin led the offensive attacked with 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Junior Peter Ezema secured his 22nd career double-double with 14 points (7-for-18) and 12 boards.

Sophomore Sebastian Alderete was a perfect 4-for-4 shooting, which led to 11 points, and he also ripped down four rebounds. Senior Carroll Rich added six points, which was highlighted by a transition dunk in the second half, while sophomore Riley Thompson also chipped in six points.

Junior Matt Flood tallied five points, while senior Joey Flanagan and junior Miles Herman each added four points.  Freshmen Bryan Karl and Tim Gersec accounted for the other five points for Ithaca. Freshman Cooper Macklin dished out six assists in the win.

It was a slow start offensively for both teams as Ithaca and RIT played to a 4-4 tie over the opening three minutes. The Bombers then took a 10-6 lead by the 14:26 mark of the first half, but RIT answered with six straight in less than a minute to take a 12-10 advantage.

The league foes traded baskets up to a 16-16 tie with 10:27 to play, and then RIT connected on a 3-pointer to break the deadlock. A layup from Flanagan and a three-point play from Rich but the Bombers back on top, 21-19, with 8:53 on the clock, and the Bombers never looked back from there.

With just over four minutes remaining in the first half, Ithaca took its first double-digit lead of the contest at 31-20 on an Ezema jumper. The lead increased to 13 points with 2:28 to go on another Ezema bucket before RIT cut its deficit to eight points at 39-31 heading into halftime.

RIT pulled to within two points within its first three possessions of the second half. A 3-pointer from Flood pushed the Bombers' edge back out to five points at 42-37 a minute later (17:38), but the Tigers would claw back to within a one-point spread at 47-46 with just over 12 minutes to play.

Over the next five minutes, Ithaca went on a 14-4 run to take a 61-50 lead as five different Bombers scored during that stretch.

After a three-point play by the Tigers brought the score back to within single digits at 61-53 with 7:22 to play, Ithaca scored seven unanswered to take a 15-point advantage, 68-53, to put the game out of reach.

IC travels to the North Country this weekend for games against St. Lawrence on Friday at 8 p.m. and Clarkson on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Bombers will then return home for another pair of Liberty League games against RPI and Skidmore on the 19th and 20th.