Box Score

New York, N.Y. - Rensselaer's Sam Zullo (Indian Lake, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) scored a team-high 18 points, including a three-pointer at the horn in regulation to force overtime, as the Red Hawks defeated Framingham State College, 78-76, in the Third-Place Game of the New York University Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Tournament on Sunday, at the Jerome S. Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.

Zullo also grabbed eight rebounds and led four RPI (1-1) players in double digits. Jeremy Bull (Woodbridge, VA/St. Stephens & St. Agnes School) had 16 points on 10-of-10 shooting from the free throw line and grabbed six boards, while Mike Brion (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin) tallied 14 points and five caroms.  Sam Simmons (Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy) notched a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Michael Carey led all scorers with 20 points for Framingham State (0-2). Rob Scarpato netted 12 points, while Royce Veal and Josue Almodovar had 11 apiece. Michael Hines came off the bench and had a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.

Zullo forced overtime after Framingham State’s Michael Costa hit 1-of-2 free throws with 6.4 seconds left, dribbling two-thirds of the court before hitting a running, 35-foot three-pointer to tie things at 67.

As it was, the Rams overcame a 57-49 deficit with 7:14 remaining thanks to Carey, who drained three-pointers on consecutive possessions to put his team ahead 64-60 with 1:53 remaining.

RPI led 37-34 at halftime and shot 37.7% (26-of-69) while owning a 48-44 rebounding advantage. The Red Hawks shot 79.2% from the free throw line (19-of-24)

Framingham State hit 40.8% (29-of-71) of its shots and went 12-of-19 (63.2%) at the foul line.