Box Score |
Game Highlights
TROY, N.Y. -
Patrick Mahoney scored 20 points, including 14 in the second half, and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's basketball team defeated SUNY Cobleskill 78-59 in a non-league contest at East Campus Arena. The Engineers, who held a two-point lead at halftime, improve to 6-3, while the Fighting Tigers drop to 6-3.
The first 30 minutes was close throughout and RPI led 34-32 at the break. The Engineers made 12 of 30 shots (40.0%) in the first frame, while Cobleskill was 12 of 29 (41.4%). The visitors had a 19-16 edge in rebounds and Rensselaer had a 12-3 advantage in assists. Both teams turned the ball over four times.
Mahoney, a sophomore forward, got the Engineers going to start the second half when he scored on a layup and then hit a three point shot from the top of the key for a 39-32 lead. Cobleskill's Scott Glasheen countered with a three-ball 20 seconds later and Dashown Nelson scored on a layup to make it 39-37.
RPI followed with a 10-0 run as
Andreas Kontopidis scored the first five points of the sequence,
Kevin Davis made a bucket and Mahoney had a three-point play for a 12-point lead, 49-37, with 15:37 to go. The lead remained around 10 points until a
Tom Horvat three-pointer with 12:30 to play put Rensselaer ahead by 15 points, 59-44, and RPI's advantage only grew from that point. It's largest lead was 21 points (74-53), which came with 4:10 to play.
In addition to his 20 points, Mahoney also had seven rebounds and five assists. Kontopidis added 11 points and eight rebounds, while Horvat had 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Antwan Claxton led Cobleskill with 16 points, along with a team-high seven rebounds. Nelson collected 10 points with four caroms for the Fighting Tigers, who shot 37.9% (22 of 58). RPI finished at 42.9% (27 of 63), including 13 three-pointers.
Rensselaer is idle until January 4 when it hosts Skidmore College in a Liberty League contest. Cobleskill hosts Alfred University in a non-league game next Saturday at 2pm.
