Box Score

TROY, N.Y. - Fourteen different student-athletes scored, led by 22 points from senior Brendan Farley, and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) men's basketball team posted an 85-76 win over Vassar College in a Liberty League contest at East Campus Arena. 

The visiting Brewers, who are now 7-14 overall and 3-9 in the league, came out hot in the first half, making 51.5% of their shots. Of their 17 made baskets, nine came from behind the three-point line as Vassar built a lead as large as 11 points on three occasions. Rensselaer, which is now 11-9 and 6-5, closed the half on a 21-13 run to cut the deficit to 46-43 at the break.

Sophomore Curtis Smith (Mastic, NY / Eastport South Manor) had 12 first half points for Vassar, including three three-pointers. Farley (Burlington, MA / Burlington) had nine first half points for the Engineers, who got seven from sophomore Josh Dugas (Monroe, CT / St. Luke's). 

Vassar continued to lead for the majority of the first four minutes before Rensselaer scored eight unanswered points on baskets from four different players for a 64-56 lead with 13:26 to go in the second half. The lead grew to 11 points before the Brewers made a 13-3 run, with eight points coming from Smith, for a 72-71 RPI lead with 8:41 to play. The Engineers scored the next five points for a 77-71 advantage and did not see their edge drop below four points from there.

Farley connected on 9 of 15 shots for his 22 points. Senior Cedric White (Rutland, VT / Rutland Senior) added 11 points and freshmen Tyler Gendron (Merrimack, NH / Merrimack) and Jesus Cardenas (Phoenix, AZ / Apollo) added 10 points apiece. Senior Daniel Martin (Cohasset, MA / Cohasset) had six points, a team-high 11 rebounds and three blocks.

Smith finished with 20 points, four assists and three steals for Vassar. Sophomore Alex Snyder (Rutland, VT / Rutland) added a double-double of 13 points and a game-high 16 rebounds, while Erikson Wasyl (Durham, CT / Coginchaug) had 14 points for the Brewers, who shot 31.4% in the second half and 41.2% overall.

RPI, which held a 49-41 edge in rebounding, returns to the court on Friday at 8pm at St. Lawrence University. Vassar hosts Hobart College on Friday at 8pm.