POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Ithaca College men's basketball team finished the regular season on Saturday against the Vassar Brewers in a Liberty League matchup, as the Bombers needed overtime to defeat the Brewers 79-76. Ithaca finishes the season at 16-9 overall and 13-5 in conference play heading into the Liberty League tournament, as the Bombers claimed sole possession of second place in the Liberty League. 

The Bombers and the Brewers traded runs early, as Logan Wendell netted 11 points in the first 10 minutes including three three-pointers to help give the Bombers 19 points halfway through the first half, helping to keep the score to a 20-19 Brewers lead.  

An Aidan Holmes three-pointer gave the Bombers their first lead of the afternoon with a 22-19 score, but the Brewers were able to pull away from the Bombers to end the first half thanks to a 10-point run that made the score 37-30 at the break. 

Ithaca opened the second half with a Jaylon O'Neal layup to put the Bombers back on the scoreboard, as Ithaca rattled off seven points in a row to bring the deficit to two thanks to a Logan Wendell field goal (42-40). A Holmes jumper would give the Bombers their first lead of the half with 10 minutes remaining in the game. 

The Bombers sent the game to overtime thanks to a Chris Leysath free throw that tied the game at 64 with nine seconds remaining. 

Ithaca started overtime with a free throw from Logan Wendell to give the Bombers a 65-64 lead. The Bombers and Brewers would continue trading points in overtime until Holmes scored a three-pointer that gave Ithaca a 75-70 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Wendell set a new career-high in points scored, scoring 38 total points with four three-pointers in the win, breaking his previous record of 37 against Clarkson last season. Holmes netted 15 points of his own. 

The Bombers earned a bye for the first round of the Liberty League tournament and will face the winner of St. Lawrence-Vassar in the Liberty League Semifinals on Friday, February 28th.