TROY, N.Y. - Sophomore Joe Stortini scored a career-high 23 points to lead all scorers and help the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) men's basketball team to an 87-76 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in a Liberty League men's basketball game at East Campus Arena. Stortini, who had 18 points in the first half, was one of five Tigers in double figures for points, while the Engineers had three student-athletes scored at least 10 points. 

RIT snapped a four-game losing streak and moves to 6-4 overall and 1-1 in the conference. RPI falls to 3-8 and 0-2.

The Tigers held a 44-35 lead at halftime, thanks in large part to Stortini (Red Hook, NY / Loomis Chaffee), a guard who made seven baskets, including three three-pointers, for his 18 points in the first 20 minutes. Among his treys was one with only four seconds remaining to give the visitors a nine-point lead at the break. RPI senior Tyler Gendron (Merrimack, NH / Merrimack) 13 first half points, including three three-pointers of his own.

RPI opened the second half with three-pointers by sophomore Nate Kane (Glenmont, NY / Bethlehem) and Gendron, with a trey by RIT's JP Reagan (Cortland, NY / Cortland) and went on to outscore the Tigers by five points in the first 3:07 to pull within four points, 49-45, but RIT made it a 10-point lead three minutes later. The Engineers got to within four points on two other occasions, including at the 6:36 mark, but that was as close as they could get. 

In addition to Stortini, who made 8 of 16 shots, while also pulling down six rebounds with four assists and two steals, freshman guard A.J. Horde (Oak Park, MI / University of Detroit Jesuit) added 18 points, six rebounds and three assists. Kamron Davis (Syracuse, NY / Nottingham) had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Reagan and Jesse Warech (Pinebrook, NY / Montville Township) had 10 points apiece.

Kane led the Engineers, scoring 19 points, including five three-pointers, while Gendron finished with 18 points. Senior Josh Dugas (Monroe, CT / St. Luke's) finished with 16 points, along with team-bests of seven assists and seven rebounds.

Rensselaer hosts another pair of Liberty League games next Friday and Saturday, welcoming Union College on Friday (8pm) and Skidmore College on Saturday (4pm). RIT hosts league foes St. Lawrence University and Clarkson University next Friday and Saturday. Game times are also 8pm and 4pm.