Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Four players reached double-digits, including 16 points from leading scorer Chris Shalvoy (Rochester, NY/Pittsfield Mendon) and the 15th-ranked Williams College men’s basketball team defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 75-65 in non-conference action this afternoon. The Ephs improve to 4-0 overall while the Red Hawks fall to 1-2 on the season.

Williams led by as many as ten through the first six minutes of the game before Rensselaer began its comeback. The Red Hawks tied things up at 14 all on a three-pointer by senior Sam Zullo (Indian Lake, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) with just over ten minutes on the clock and began a back-and-forth battle with the visitors from that point.

Leading by four (33-29), the Ephs saw their lead dwindle once more as RPI took a 34-33 lead on a bucket from freshman Mike Brion (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin) with 1:35 left in the half. But Williams sophomore Blake Schultz (Atherton, CA/The Menlo School) sunk a pair of free throws to cut the Red Hawks lead to 36-35 heading into halftime.

In the second half, Rensselaer continued to lead through the first three minutes, but Williams came charging back. Senior Chris Rose (Middletown, NY/Don Bosco Prep) hit a jumper and drained a three-pointer to give the Ephs the lead at 16:11 and the visitors never looked back. Capitalizing on 15 fouls by the Red Hawks in the second half, Williams pulled away by as many as 11 points with 6:30 left. Rensselaer got to within seven with 5:29 remaining but could not get any closer.

In addition to Shalvoy, Schultz added 14 points and four rebounds. Sophomore Joe Geohegan (Cape Elizabeth, ME/Cape Elizabeth) had 11 points and a team-high six rebounds while junior Kyle Snyder (Littleton, CO/Heritage) chipped in 12 points and four boards.

For Rensselaer, senior Sam Simmons (Newburgh, NY/Newburgh) had a team-high 20 points and six rebounds. Zullo added 12 points while freshman Jeremy Bull (Woodbridge, PA/St. Stephens & St. Agnes School) added 10 points and three caroms.

RPI is back in action on Thursday when it hosts Middlebury in a non-league game at 8pm. Williams hosts Framingham State on Tuesday at 7:30pm.