ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team closed out its regular season home schedule in style as the Bombers defeated visiting RIT, 82-70, in a Liberty League contest inside Ben Light Gymnasium on Tuesday evening. With the win, Ithaca moves into a tie for fourth place in the Liberty League standings with an 8-6 in conference matchups and extends its winning streak to four to lift the overall record to 12-9. RIT is now 5-15 and 2-11 in the Liberty League.

Ithaca led for 37:32 of the game and posted a 16-point lead during the first half of action. The Bombers shot 40.6% (26-for-64) overall and were 12-for-32 from 3-point range (37.5%). IC also posted another efficient evening at the line, going 18-for-21 (85.7%). On the defensive end, Ithaca forced 23 RIT turnovers, which led to 21 points.

Highlighting the evening was the near triple-double from senior Peter Ezema, who tallied 20 points (8-of-17) with 14 rebounds and a career-best eight steals. Ezema also added two blocks and made a pair of 3-pointers.

Freshman Skylar Sinon notched a career-high 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor, to go along with three steals, three assists and three rebounds. Junior Riley Thompson met his season average with 19 points on 4-of-7 from 3-point range and 7-of-8 at the line. Senior Matt Flood also reached double digits with 14 points.

Sophomore Cooper Macklin handed out five assists with four rebounds and freshman Alex Barron netted four points.

In what started as a sloppy opening minute with four combined turnovers, the Bombers struck first with a 3-pointer from Peter Ezema. IC then extended its lead to 8-4 on a three-ball from Thompson a minute later.

RIT came back to take a 10-8 advantage with 16:01 remaining in the half, but a layup from Ezema on the next trip down the floor tied things up. After another deadlock at 15-15 with 13:39 to go, Ithaca went on a 14-2 run over the next 4:36 to build a 12-point cushion at 29-17. During that spurt, Flood drilled a pair of 3-pointers, while Thompson and sophomore Bryan Karl connected from distance.

The Tigers answered with four straight points to bring the difference back to eight at 29-21, but IC once again found its stroke with eight quick points to mark the largest lead of the evening at 37-21 with 5:18 to play in the half.

Ithaca maintained its double-digit lead for the remainder of the half and went into intermission with a 41-30 advantage. Over the opening 20 minutes, RIT turned the ball over 16 times and Ithaca made eight 3-pointers.

Out of the break, RIT started off on a 14-5 run to pull to within two points at 46-44 with 14:55 left in regulation.

The Bombers then responded to once again take a 10-point edge at 60-50 after four consecutive points from Barron with 9:25 to go. RIT did not fold as the Tigers crept back to within six points, 72-66, with 3:40 left. The deficit was too much to overcome for RIT, however, as Ithaca put the game away over the final 2:03 with eight made free throws to account for the final score of 82-70.

Ithaca will be on the road for the final four games of the regular season. IC heads to the North Country on Friday and Saturday to take on Clarkson and St. Lawrence. The following weekend, the Bombers close out their schedule with games at Bard and Vassar on the 15th and 16th.