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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - Senior Nick Keefe scored a career-high 26 points to lead the Rensselaer men's basketball team to its first victory and to the championship game of the Tri-State Shootout. RPI, which is now 1-5, plays the winner of Southern Vermont and St. Joseph's at 4pm on Saturday.

Keefe made 9 of 16 shots, including 5 of 9 three-pointers to lead the way. He was aided by Reggie Colas, who had 19 points and Chase Almond, who scored 14.

After the opening half was back and forth, RPI took control and never looked back in the final twenty minutes as it scored 67 points. MCLA (2-5) scored the opening bucket, but RPI rattled off six straight points to open up a 49-41 lead. The Trailblazers would rally to tie the game for the last time at 56, however RPI gradually pulled away.

With RPI holding a slim 61-60 lead, they went on a 9-0 run fueled by three straight triples, including two from Keefe to grab a 70-60 advantage. The lead would grow to 15 at 81-66 with 10:29 to play. MCLA would get to within seven with a minute to play, however RPI held them off to grab their first victory.

The opening half saw eight lead changes and seven ties.  Neither team led by more than five points and following the seventh tie of the half at 37-37, RPI would close the period with a 6-1 spurt to grab a 43-38 halftime lead.

MCLA struggled with the up tempo style of RPI committing 16 turnovers in the opening twenty minutes compared to just 6 for the Engineers. Keefe paced RPI with 11 first half points. Jeremic Bennett collected 8 first half points for the Trailblazers.

The Engineers shot 54% in the closing half and committed 22 turnovers.

MCLA placed five players in double figures led by John Jones' 24 points, 22 of which came after halftime. Bennett came off the bench to add 22 points. Kraig Page finished with 13 points, while Paul Maurice had 11 and Ruben DelRosario ended with 10.

The Trailblazers were doomed by 26 costly turnovers.