Rossi Sets Record as Ithaca Powers to Come-From-Behind Victory Over Utica
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca men's basketball team (8-10, 5-2 Empire 8) powered to an 83-74 come-from-behind victory over visiting Utica (6-12, 2-5 Empire 8) on Tuesday night at Ben Light Gymnasium.
Junior Sean Rossi (Sparta/Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), who ranks second nationally in assists, rewrote his own school record with 19 assists against the Pioneers as Ithaca shot 45.7 percent from the floor. The Ithaca victory secures a four-way tie for first place in the Empire 8, as the Bombers join Stevens, Nazareth and Hartwick at 5-2.
The Bomber suffered an early 15-3 deficit before the Pioneers added to it for a 22-7 lead at 13:16. Ithaca thrice cut within seven. Utica held a 46-36 advantage at the half, though the Bombers surged to knot the game just 5:06 into the second with a 13-3 spurt. The teams exchanged buckets before Ithaca claimed the lead indefinitely at 13:12 on a Chris Young (Greely/North Yarmouth, Maine) jumper. The Pioneers shot just 25.7 percent from the floor in the latter half as Ithaca put up 47 second-stint points to Utica’s 28.
Junior Andrei Oztemel (Staples/Westport, Conn.) led the Bombers with 19 points and nine boards, falling one rebound shy of his fifth career double-double, and added a career-high four steals. Sophomore Frank Mitchell (Hillsborough/Hillsborough, N.J.) posted 17 points and eight rebounds and rookie Max Masucci (Hopkinton/Hopkinton, Mass.) put up double-digits for the second straight game with 11. Junior Jordan Healey (Summit/Summit, N.J.) chipped in a career-high nine points, seven of which came in the second half.
Utica opened action with a 15-3 run before powering to a 22-7 lead at 13:16. The Bombers used seven unanswered to cut the gap to 30-23 at the seven-minute mark, but the Pioneers would secure a 13-point lead with three minutes lingering. A long Mitchell jumper from the right corner brought the game within 10 at intermission, 46-36.
Five Bombers scored in the opening 5:24 of the second to help Ithaca to a 50-49 edge. A Utica layup on its return trip down the floor put the Pioneers on top but it was
Young's floater that sealed the deal for Ithaca. The Pioneers pulled within one, 62-61, at 7:28, though the Bombers answered with eight straight. Again Utica made it a one-possession game before Ithaca pieced together six consecutive. Ithaca scored 10 of the game’s final 13 points to claim the win.