Box Score | RPI Athletics on Instagram

TROY, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's basketball team jumped out to big leads to start both halves and the Engineers held off Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), 74-70, in the Liberty League opener for both teams. The Engineers, who put three players in double figures in points, improve to 7-3. The Tigers, who also had three with at least 10 points, fall to 6-3. 

RPI opened the game with a three-point basket from sophomore Tom Horvat (Cranston, RI / Marianapolis Prep.) just 28 seconds in and the Engineers raced out to a 31-15 lead 11:55 into the contest. Horvat had a pair of long-range shots along with a two-point basket for eight points, classmate Andreas Kontopidis (Sherborn, MA / Dover-Sherborn) hit two three-pointers for six points and senior Brian Hatcher (Danbury, CT / Immaculate) added six points of his own in the stretch. Four others also scored for RPI, which has now won four of its last five games.

RIT answered, pulling to within three points, 39-36, at halftime. Junior Troy Pierre-Louis (Providence, RI / Berkshire School) led the way with 11 points, including 3 of 4 from behind the arc, along with four rebounds. Classmate AJ Horde (Oak Park, MI / University of Detroit Jesuit) added seven points, four rebounds and three assists for the Tigers, who actually pulled to within one point, 37-36, before a Kontopidis jumper with under a minute remaining put the margin at three.

The Engineers came out in the second half and built a 13-point lead, 51-38, in less than five minutes. Kontopidis had 10 points in that span, including a three-pointer, two field goals and three free throws. Once again, RIT battled back, getting to within four points three times. The Tigers were down 62-56 with 4:19 to play when Jaymee Rosser (Newark, NY / Newark) scored on a layup, but the Engineers got to the rim for baskets while also having success at the free throw line.

Kontopidis finished with a team-high 18 points, along with a team-best eight rebounds, three assists and a block in 30 minutes. Horvat scored 17 points with four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 33 minutes and Luster had 12 points, a rebound, two assists, a block and three steals.

Pierre-Louis knocked in a game-high 20 points on 7 of 10 shooting (4 of 6 from three-point range) with six rebounds and two assists. Horde had 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds, along with five assists and Davis finished with 14 points.

The Engineers return to the court on Saturday at 2pm against St. Lawrence University. RIT travels to Skidmore College for a 2pm contest.