ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Ithaca College men's basketball team got a tip-in basket by Eli Maravich at the buzzer to defeat No. 18 Rochester 70-68 in an NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament game Saturday night at Rochester's Louis Alexandra Palestra. With the victory, the Bombers advance to the round of 16 for the first time in program history. It was the fifth win in a row for the Bombers (21-8), with four of those coming in the postseason. Ithaca advances to face No. 7 Middlebury in the Sweet 16 on March 16 at Middlebury, Vt. The Yellowjackets ended their season with a 22-5 record.
The game was tied 68-68 with one minute to play and Rochester missed a 3-point attempt that was rebounded by Maravich. A Bomber timeout set up the final possession, as the shot clock was off. Travis Warech tried a turn-around jumper from the left wing with three seconds left that bounced off the rim twice, before Maravich cut in from the opposite side of the floor and tipped the ball back over the front of the rim just before the buzzer sounded.
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Video of the final play courtesy of Jim Mandelaro of Rochester Democrat & Chronicle (.mov)
The basket was Maravich's first of the game but he contributed throughout the contest by defending Rochester's John DiBartolomeo, the University Athletic Association and ECAC Upstate Player of the Year. DiBartolomeo scored just two points in the game, both from the free-throw line as he was 0-for-8 from the field and missed all five of his 3-point attempts. DiBartolomeo entered the game averaging 23.4 points per contest and scored 42 in Rochester's first-round NCAA tournament win over Fitchburg State.
Rochester's largest lead was eight points at 58-50 with 11:02 remaining in the second half, but the Bombers held the Yellowjackets to just 10 points over the last 11 minutes, and just three field goals in that span. The Bombers dug themselves out of that deficit with back-to-back layups from Sean Rossi and a pair of free throws from Tom Sweeney. From that point on, neither team led by more than three points the rest of the way.
Sweeney had a big game inside for the Bombers, as he scored 13 points in the first half and also accounted for Ithaca's first seven points of the second half. He had six rebounds and finished the game with 22 points, his highest scoring game of the season.
Warech had the hot hand in the early going for the Bombers, starting the game with back-to-back 3-pointers in the first two minutes of play. He had 11 points at halftime and finished the game with 17 points. He is averaging 22.3 points per game over Ithaca's last three contests.
Ithaca committed just two turnovers in the first half and seven in the game, while forcing 11 Rochester turnovers. The Bombers were 16-for-18 at the free-throw line, 88.9 percent on the night. In Ithaca's last six games they have converted 80.6 percent from the stripe (104-for-129).
Rossi had 12 points and nine assists in the game, and played all 40 minutes. He now has 950 career assists, extending his lead in NCAA Division III history in that category.
Frank Mitchell also scored 12 points, to give the Bombers four players in double figures.
The back-and-forth game featured 17 lead changes and nine ties. Rochester had won its first 18 games of the season and were ranked No. 1 in the D3hoops.com Rankings in late January. It was just their second loss at home this season. The Bombers have won 21 games, tied for third-most in program history. Ithaca College is now 5-15 all-time in the NCAA tournament.