From University of Rochester Athletics
The University of Rochester exploited a size advantage inside to propel itself to a 88-50 victory over Elmira College in the championship game of the Lexington Rochester Airport Hotel Invitational on Sunday afternoon.
Rochester scored 42 points in the paint to 12 for Elmira. The catalyst for the Yellowjackets was senior center Zack Ayers. He made 10 of 11 shots from the floor, missing only a three-pointer from the top of the key. Ayers finished with 21 points, a career high. He was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
His shooting performance was the second best in Rochester history with at least 10 baskets made. The record is 91.7% (11 of 12), set by Larry Hokaj in 1985. Ayers' percentage was 90.9%.
Ayers was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Rochester's Sam Borst-Smith (13 points, five assists, three steals in 22 minutes), Henry Cuffee (7 points) and Jeremy Every (9 points) of Elmira, Mason Dyslin of Vassar (21 points, 8 rebounds), and Jon Knab of Waynesburg University (16 points, 6 rebounds). Vassar defeated Waynesburg, 85-82, in the consolation game.
Tucker Knox scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds for Rochester. Mack Montague finished with six points, five assists, and three steals.
Elmira's scoring leader was Alex Ischiropoulos. He finished with 11 points, including three 3-point goals. The Soaring Eagles came off a hard-fought 76-67 win over Vassar in the first round on Saturday. Elmira committed 15 turnovers leading to 19 Rochester points. UR had six turnovers leading to seven Elmira points.
Rochester improved to 6-0. This was UR's 22nd victory in the tournament in 30 years. The 6-0 start is the best since 2012-13 when the Yellowjackets won their first 18 games. Elmira is 2-3.
Ayers scored eight points in an 18-3 Rochester run over five minutes that got Rochester off to a 20-5 lead with 13:12 left in the first half. The Yellowjackets pushed the advantage to as much as 30, 47-17, after Borst-Smith drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Elmira finished the half outscoring Rochester 10-2 to go into the lockerroom with UR ahead, 49-27. That run included a five-point play. Kyle McCreery hit a 3-pointer at the key while Cuffee was obstructed by Rochester's Andrew Lundstrom. Cuffee made both ends of the one-and-one for the final points of the half.