From University of Rochester Athletics
The University of Rochester men's basketball team put on another strong shooting performance and also were solid defensively in an 82-64 victory over St. John Fisher College on Thursday evening in the Mark's Pizzeria Crosstown Shootout at RIT.
17th-ranked UR (7-1) combined to shoot 52% from the floor and made 10 of 20 from 3-point range while holding the Cardinals (2-4) to under 40% shooting overall and just 26% from behind the arc.
Rochester got off to a quick start from distance in this one, draining four of its first five attempts from long range. Jacob Wittig, Ryan Clamage and Brendan O'Shea hit three straight in a 9-0 burst to build UR's lead to 13-3.
With 7:52 remaining in the half, the Yellowjackets lead hit 17 after another run, this time an 11-0 spurt, sparked by treys from Patrick Benka and Andrew Lundstrom.
St. John Fisher chipped away, getting back within nine after an 11-3 run of its own, with the aid of five free throws, but Rochester responded to close the half strong and take a 41-25 lead into the break, a 16-point margin.
At the break UR was shooting 54% from the floor and 53% from 3-point range, compared to the Cardinals 35% overall mark and 20% from distance.
The second half started out slow, with only two baskets being made in the opening five minutes of the period, both being by Rochester, to increase its lead to 21.
UR's tough defense then locked in and held the Cardinals at bay the rest of the way, with the margin never getting below 17.
The Yellowjackets were paced by Michael Mangan and Clamage who each finished with 16 points. 13 of Mangan's points came in the second half. Benka added 13 points off the bench while Lundstrom chipped in seven points and five rebounds. Jacob Urban added seven points for the Yellowjackets.
St. John Fisher's leading scorer was Jake Height who was 5-5 from the floor and the free throw line for 15 points. Three other Cardinals, Tyler Farrell, Mark Valeriani and Ryan Henderson each scored nine points.