The men’s basketball team upset top-seeded St. Lawrence 79-67 Friday, but then fell to Hobart, in the UCAA finals, 67-58. The loss cost the team a chance to go to the NCAA tournament.
In the first game on Friday the two teams hit the floor and the game seem to have little flow. The Red Hawks’ defense wasn’t at its best, but the Saints didn’t exactly tear it up, as they shot only 20 percent from the field. This allowed RPI to take a 29-25 lead into the locker room.
After the half, the Saints came out hot, scoring the half’s first five points to go up 30-29. Following this, the two teams settled in and exchanged baskets for the next ten minutes of the half.
Every once in a while a play will turn the tide of a game. Last Tuesday it may have been Jared Hites dunk that jump-started the slumping Red Hawks. On Friday, Forward Khalil Fitzgerald dunked one home in traffic, sparking a 12-0 run.
The Red Hawks were up 58-44 and despite St. Lawrence hitting several crazy shots, the Red Hawks walked away with the win, marking the second year in a row that they have knocked St. Lawrence out of the UCAA playoffs and the second year in a row that they have made the UCAA finals.
Tri-Captain Bobby Hurley led all scorers with 17 points, and also grabbed six boards and had four assists. Fitzgerald connected on for 15 points and grabbed eight boards. Tri-Captain Tom Carrk put in 13 points while Forward Dean Pierce had eight rebounds. The Red Hawks also got strong play from Forward Kyle Kornelis and guards Darryl Gentry and Kevin Moore.
On Saturday, expectations ran high for the Red Hawks, having watched the women’s team earn an automatic bid just moments before. Further, their opponent was Hobart —a team that they had nearly beaten twice already.
The game started out with little flow as neither team seem to be able to really run their offense. Eventually, however, the Statesmen started to get flowing and built a 9 point lead at the half.
In the second half, the Red Hawks returned to their style of game making several runs. Despite closing the gap to 1 point, Rensselaer couldn’t break through.
When the game was tight in the closing minutes, the Statesmen got several important rebounds and connected on their free throws, sealing the Red Hawks’ fate.
Carrk led the way with 16 points, en route to earning All-tournament honors. Gentry chipped in with 10 and Hite added 11 points and eight boards. Hurley finished with 8 points and 5 assists.
On the heels of their late-season success, the Red Hawks earned an ECAC bid. The Red Hawks will be playing Cortland this evening in a first-round match up in Cortland.
