Ithaca Tops Hobart 95-87 To Win Men's Basketball Opener
ITHACA, N.Y. -- The men's basketball team (1-0) opened its season by defeating visiting Hobart (1-1) Wednesday. Three Bombers recorded double-doubles, including senior guard Chris Cruz-Rivas (West Genesee/Syracuse), who led all scorers with 28 points.
Cruz-Rivas added 10 rebounds for his third career double-double. He put the Bombers ahead to stay, hitting a three-point basket 3:47 into the second half to give Ithaca a 51-50 lead. The Statesmen, who were picked to win the Liberty League, had scored seven straight points to take their biggest lead (50-46). Sophomore point guard Sean Rossi (Sparta/Sparta, N.J.) converted a lay-up before Cruz-Rivas put Ithaca on top for good.
The Bombers stretched their lead to 12 with 8:15 left to play -- sophomore guard Andrei Oztemel (Staples/Westport, Conn.) scored the last five points in that run. Hobart closed the gap to four points but could never close to within one possession.
Rossi, who led the nation in assists last season, finished with 10 points and 12 assists. The double-double was the sixth of his career.
Senior forward Phil Barera (Belmont/Belmont, Mass.) scored 18 points and pulled down a team-leading 15 rebounds for the 16th double-double of his career. Oztemel netted 19 points in just 16 minutes off the bench.
Two freshmen started for Ithaca in their collegiate debut: guard Christian Jordan (Cherokee/Marlton, N.J.) scored 15 points and added four rebounds and three assists and Miles Grier (Lilburn/Druid Hills, Ga.) finished with seven rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocked shots.
The Bombers travel to Erie, Pa., for this weekend's Penn State-Behrend Tip-Off Tournament. Ithaca faces Grove City in Friday's first round.
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