ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team had its four-game winning streak snapped by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 72-64, in a Liberty League showdown Saturday afternoon inside Ben Light Gymnasium. Ithaca is now 11-4 overall and 7-2 in league play, while RPI increases its winning streak to 15 straight contests and is now 10-0 in the Liberty League.

It was a rough shooting afternoon for the Bombers on Saturday as IC went 24-for-68 (35.3-percent) overall, 8-for-35 (22.9%) from 3-point range and 8-for-16 (50%) at the free throw line. RPI was 27-for-56 (48.2%) from the field and went 15-for-19 at the stripe (78.9%). Both teams wreaked havoc on the defensive end of the floor as Ithaca forced 25 RPI turnovers, and in turn, the Engineers forced IC to turn the ball over 16 times.

Seniors Sebastian Alderete and Riley Thompson combined to score 47 of Ithaca's points in the game, including 28 of 31 during the first half. Alderete led the way with 27 points on 11-of-20 from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range, to go along with six rebounds. Thompson finished the night with 20 points and six rebounds.

Sophomore Skylar Sinon also finished in double digits with 13 points.

Ithaca scored the first basket of the game on a layup from Alderete, but RPI answered with an 8-0 run over the next two minutes. The Bombers then battled back to knot things up at 12-12 on a 3-pointer from Alderete and then the Miami Springs, Fla. native put IC back on top, 14-12, just 37 seconds later.

The Engineers responded with four straight to go back ahead at 16-14, but another 3-pointer from Alderete at the 10:52 mark flipped the lead back over the IC at 17-16.

Over the next four minutes, IC and RPI were tied twice at 23-23 and 25-25, but the Engineers closed out the half over the final 5:22 on a 10-6 run to take a 35-31 lead into halftime.

RPI opened up the second half with a three to build a seven-point lead but the Bombers closed to within two points at 38-36 in just 22 seconds on two points apiece from senior Jake Mitchell, Alderete and Sinon.

After a pair of five-point leads by the Engineers over the next two minutes, IC got back to within one at 45-44 on a three from Sinon at the 13:41 mark. Sinon then had a chance to tie the game at the line after being fouled on a 3-point attempt, but made two shots and IC continued to trail, 47-46, with 12:54 to go.

From there, RPI went on a 12-0 run to establish a 13-point edge at 59-46 with under eight minutes to play.

The Bombers then attempted to make a late comeback and clawed all the way back to a 66-62 difference with 45 seconds left, but the Engineers put the game away at the line with six made free throws.

The Bombers play their final non-conference game of the season on Tuesday evening, January 28 at Wells College and then head to Hobart college and Skidmore College on January 31 and February 1.