Box Score / League Standings

TROY, N.Y. – The Union College men’s basketball team clinched a berth in next week’s Liberty League tournament with a 78-71 triumph at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on Saturday at Robison Gymnasium. The Red Hawks also will be heading to the tournament after Hobart lost today.

With the victory, Union improved to 16-9 overall and 9-5 in the Liberty League, and clinched third place. Despite the loss, Rensselaer (11-13, 9-5) clinched a playoff berth by virtue of Hobart’s loss at St. Lawrence. Union holds the tiebreak over Rensselaer by virtue of winning both meetings during the regular season and will face #2 seed St. Lawrence on Friday at Hamilton. The host Continentals, the #1 seed, will take on #4 Rensselaer.

Senior guard John Cagianello (Wethersfield, CT/Wethersfield) scored a game-high 28 points and tied Aaron Galletta (1998-2001) for the all-time career points record at Union with 1,949 points. Cagianello made two free throws with 32.9 seconds remaining to tie the record.

Union led 39-28 at halftime, and shot 46% for the game. The Dutchmen made seven of 11 three-pointers in the first half and wound up with 12 treys for the afternoon. Union also had just eight total turnovers. Rensselaer shot 50%, including 53% in the second half, and had a 33-27 rebounding edge.

Cagianello made four of eight three point attempts and eight of nine from the line. Brian Scordato (Mt. Kisco, NY/Horace Greeley) had a game high eight rebounds and 15 points, and Chris Murphy (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY/Iona Prep), the league leader in assists, dished out nine assists for the Dutchmen.

Rensselaer’s Neal Wesson (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth) scored 22 points and pulled down seven rebounds, and Tom Schneider (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin) also had seven rebounds to go along with 13 points. Joe Johnson (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) led the Red Hawks with six assists and also added two steals.

Hamilton won both meetings with the Red Hawks while the Dutchmen split with St. Lawrence during the season.