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HAMBURG, N.Y. - Freshman Andreas Kontopidis scored 24 points to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's basketball team to an 81-48 victory in the opening game of the Hilbert College Tip-Off Tournament. The Engineers improve to 2-0 and advance to Saturday's championship game at 3pm against either the host or Chatham University. 

Kontopidis (Sherborn, MA / Dover-Sherborn), a forward, made 9 of 12 shots including 4 of 5 from three-point range and led all scorers with his 24 points. He also had three rebounds, an assist and two blocked shots. Seniors Chase Almond (South Kingstown, RI / South Kingstown) and Tyler Gendron (Merrimack, NH / Merrimack) added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Almond also had a game-high 13 rebounds (7 offensive), along with four assists.

Utica jumped out to a 9-4 lead 5:14 into the contest but the Engineers went on a 14-0 run over the next 5:30 for an 18-9 edge. Kontopidis and classmate Tom Horvat (Cranston, RI / Providence Country Day) both had six points and junior Jonathan Luster (Essex, CT / Valley Regional) had the other two. A Pioneers basket broke the string, but RPI followed by scoring the next 12 points - all on three-pointers, two from Kontopidis - for a 30-11 lead with 6:09 to play in the first half. The teams traded baskets the rest of the frame and RPI held a 35-17 lead at the break.

Kontopidis had 12 first half points, while Almond scored seven with eight rebounds.

RPI scored the first nine points of the second half, including five by junior Nate Kane (Glenmont, NY / Bethlehem Central) and four from Almond, for a 27-point lead, 44-17, just 2:14 into the second half. 

Eight different players scored for the Engineers, who made 31 of 65 shots from the floor including 10 of 25 from three-point range. Utica, which shot 38.2% (21 of 55), was led by Seamus McHugh's 12 points.