ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team outscored visiting St. Lawrence University by 10 points in the second half to come away with a 91-82 Liberty League victory on Saturday afternoon inside Ben Light Gymnasium. With the win, Ithaca is now 14-9 overall and 9-7 in the Liberty League, while St. Lawrence drops to 5-17 and 3-12.

It was a back-and-forth first half from the initial jump, as Ithaca and St. Lawrence traded leads six times and were also tied on five different occasions over the opening 20 minutes of action. Both teams also shot the ball exceptionally well, as St. Lawrence went 17-for-30 (56.7-percent) and the Bombers were 19-for-39 (48.7%).

St. Lawrence scored the first basket of the game within the opening minute, but IC answered with five straight points on a jumper from junior Peter Ezema and a 3-pointer by sophomore Riley Thompson.

The Saints went back ahead, 7-6, with four consecutive points from Chris Miner with 17:26 to play. Thompson once again put the Bombers back on top, 10-8, with a jumper and a long-range three just a minute later.

St. Lawrence would then go on an 8-1 run over the next two-plus minutes to build a five-point lead at 16-11 with 13:59 left. After trading baskets, the Bombers knotted the contest up at 18-18 behind a 3-pointer from freshman Bryan Karl and a layup from junior Miles Herman.

Another run was in store for the Saints as they scored six straight up to the midway point of the half to take a 24-16 advantage. St. Lawrence would maintain its lead for the next five minutes until the Bombers tied things up at 30-30 with 5:25 left on a 3-pointer from junior Matt Flood.

After another deadlock at 32-32, St. Lawrence outscored the Bombers, 12-6, over the next three minutes to own a 44-38 lead at the 2:25 mark. Ithaca held the Saints scored for the remainder of the half and closed to within a one-point different by intermission, 46-45. Flood hit another three, while Karl and senior Carrol Rich put in layups.

Out of the break, senior Marc Chasin put the Bombers on top, 47-46, just 1:02 in the second half, and Ithaca would never trail again for the rest of the game.

By the 15:26 mark, Ithaca went up by a 58-50 count after a pair of makes at the line by Flood. After another eight-point cushion for the Bombers, 64-56, with 13:12 to play, St. Lawrence stormed back to tie the game up at 67-67 with 9:44 to go.

IC responded with an 8-0 run over the next 1:36 on four points from Chasin and two each by Herman and Thompson. The Bombers continued the pressure after the Saints ended the run and registered their first double-digit lead of the afternoon at 79-69 with 6:01 left. Ithaca would not allow St. Lawrence to get within eight points the rest of the way and came away with the 91-82 victory.

Herman finished the contest with 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting to go along with six rebounds, while Thompson led Ithaca with 22 points, including four 3-pointers.

Chasin added 16 points on an efficient 8-of-10 showing with six boards and four assists, while Flood chipped in 10 points, four assists and three steals. Rich finished the contest with eight points and four assists, while sophomore Sebastian Alderete contributed six points and three assists. Ezema and Karl combined for the other nine points scored.

Ithaca finished the game shooting 48.6% from the floor (36-for-74) and assisted on 19 makes. Although St. Lawrence ended the game at 55.8% overall (29-for-52), the Saints turned the ball over 18 times, which led to 26 points for IC. In comparison, Ithaca turned the ball over just four times.

The Bombers remain at home next weekend against Bard at 8 p.m. on Friday and Vassar at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Friday night's game is Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, while Saturday will mark Senior Day.