Box Score
TROY, N.Y. – Senior
Tim Rupp (Staten Island, NY/Curtis) scored 15 points on 4 of 6 shooting from beyond the three-point line to pace the Rensselaer men's basketball team to a 108-51 victory over Albany College of Pharmacy, this evening in the Tri-State Shootout at East Campus Arena. With the win, the Engineers improve to 5-1, while the Panthers move to 2-5.
Rupp scored 12 of RPI's first 14 points, helping the hosts to an 18-6 lead, just 5:05 in the contest. A
Rashad Simmons (Valrico, FL/Bloomingdale) three-pointer with 8:12 to go in the first half, pushed the Engineers advantage to 35-13.
Sophomore Peter Aiken (Pottersville, NY) and senior Zach Bratek (DeWitt, NY) contributed offensively in the first half, scoring back-to-back buckets with under seven minutes remaining the opening frame to pull to within 35-17.
The Engineers put together a late first-half 8-0 run, to go up 45-18. The run was highlighted by a pair of lay-ups by freshman forward
Daniel Martin (Cohasset, MA/Cohasset). RPI then outscored ACP, 11-4 in the final 2:39 of the first to take a 56-23 halftime lead.
In the second half, senior
Ricky Philatre (Randolph, MA/Randolph) expanded Rensselaer's advantage to 73-31 after he sank three shots on consecutive possessions. Philatre finished with eight points and five rebounds in 11 minutes.
11 Engineers reached double-figures in minutes, while 12 scored at least four points. RPI shot 51.2 % from the floor, while holding the Panthers to a 25.7 % clip. Rupp had a game-high 15 points to go along with two rebounds. Senior
Eric Anderson (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack) and junior
DJ Blakemore each added 11 points off the bench.
ACP was led offensively by Bratek, who finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and an assist. Aiken had 13 points, six boards, an assist a steal and a blocked shot, while senior Brad Allen (Berkshire, NY) recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 caroms.
Rensselaer returns to action tomorrow in the Championship Game of the tournament, when it will take on Massachusetts College of Liberty Arts (MCLA) at 3pm. The Panthers will face Southern Vermont in the consolation game at 1pm.
