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Rochester Holds On Versus Geneseo For Ninth Consecutive Victory

Rochester Holds On Versus Geneseo For Ninth Consecutive Victory

From University of Rochester Athletics

Visiting SUNY Geneseo tied two Palestra records for three-point shooting, but the University of Rochester managed to squeeze out an 82-80 victory on Tuesday night.

Sam Borst-Smith led the Yellowjackets with 24 points and Mack Montague added 21. Rochester improved to 9-0, marking just the 10th time in 116 years of men's basketball that the team started with at least nine straight wins. UR is ranked #11 nationally by D3hoops.com.

John Decker led all scorers with 38 points. He hit nine three-point shots in 15 attempts, was 10 for 22 in field goals overall and 9-9 at the foul line. Decker is the fourth man to sink nine three-pointers in the Palestra. The others are Mark Mastrullo of Curry (MA) College on November 29, 2009 vs. Kean (NJ), UR's Tyler Seidman on November 16, 2013 vs. D'Youville College, and Conor Maisch of Utica on November 21, 2014 vs. SUNY New Paltz.

As a team, Geneseo made 18 three-pointers in 41 attempts. The 41 attempts tie the team Palestra record set by Case Western Reserve on January 22, 2016.

The loss was the second in a row for Geneseo (4-3 overall). Kevin Crockett was the only other man in double figures for the Knights. He finished with 13 points.

Geneseo closed the first half with a 14-2 in the last 3:02 to take a 47-46 lead at the half. Rochester led by as much as 11, 26-15, midway through the first half. Decker was the primary scorer in the first half. He hit 6 of 8 outside the arc enroute to 22 points. Jonathan Cohen and Decker hit treys in the last minute of the first half to push Geneseo in front.

The lead grew to nine points in the first four minutes after halftime. Crockett's basket from the right of the key gave Geneseo a 58-49 advantage.

Rochester went on an extended 13-3 run to slip in front, 62-61, on Montague's reverse layup. He scored nine of the 13 points. The last 13 minutes were a dizzying dose of back and forth basketball: eight lead changes and four ties.

With Geneseo ahead, 66-64, Rochester ran off seven straight: a layup by Ryan Clamage, a drive from Jeff Wittig (14 points), and a three-pointer by Borst-Smith from left wing. Geneseo answered with six in a row: Decker hit a trey from the right of the key. Then Jack Manke made one free throw and Decker made both ends of a one-and-one. Geneseo led, 72-71.

Decker tied the individual building record by sinking his ninth trey from the right of the key with 5:04 to play. More importantly, it brought Geneseo level at 75-all. Montague hit a three-pointer to push UR ahead, 78-75. Cohen's three-pointer tied it again and Crockett's runner on the baseline put the guests up, 80-78 with 1:43 remaining.

Borst-Smith forced the last tie with two free throws and 1:29 to go. Decker was called for a walk as he spun down the lane on the next possession. Michael Mangan drove the left side for the go-ahead layup at 0:48.

After a timeout, Borst-Smith stole the ball from Cohen with 37 seconds left. In the Rochester front court, Borst-Smith lost it when Ringen took it away at the 0:09 mark. His pass upcourt was intercepted by Borst-Smith at midcourt, but he stepped on the midcourt line and turned it over with 0:06 remaining, giving Geneseo one more chance.

The Knights inbounded the ball, angled towards the foul line, and threw it to C.J. Burke in the left corner. His open look was a little too long. It bounced off the rim just before the buzzer and Mangan rebounded to seal the victory.