Box Score | Season Preview Video

HAMBURG, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's basketball team scored 50 second half points on 58.1% shooting and the Engineers defeated Waynesburg University, 75-52, in the consolation game of the 2018 Hawks Against Hunger Tip Off Tournament hosted by Hilbert College. RPI moves to 1-1, while Yellowjackets fall to 0-2.

Following a tight first half, which saw Waynesburg lead by four points (29-25) at the break, despite a five-point run by RPI, and 31-25 to start the second half, the Engineers went on a 22-2 run for a 49-35 lead midway through the half. Senior Tom Horvat led the outburst with 14 points from four three-pointers and a jumper. Patrick Mahoney, Marcus Giese, Andreas Kontopids and Jeffrey Coulter also scored for the Engineers, who led by no less than 16 points for the rest of the game.

Horvat finished with a game-high 21 points, who surpassed 1,200 career points and moved into seventh place in school history (1,201). He was 7 of 13 from the field, including 5 of 9 from three-point range. He also had two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Giese scored 15 points with five rebounds and was named to the All-Tournament Team. 

Kontopidis scored 10 points, while Mahoney scored nine points with a team-best 10 rebounds.

Matt Popeck, who was also named to the All-Tournament Team, led Waynesburg in scoring with a team-high 14 points. Shane Johnson tallied eight points over 18 minutes off the bench, while Nate Gearhart tallied seven over 13 minutes as a reserve. Popeck and senior Clay Carper tied for the team lead with six rebounds.
 
RPI returns to the court on Tuesday when it hosts The Sage Colleges in its first home game (8pm).