HAMBURG, N.Y. - In their third trip to the Hawks Against Hunger Tip-Off Tournament, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's basketball captured its first title game on Saturday afternoon, defeating the host Hilbert College 99-76 in the championship game. The tourney marked the first two games for both teams.
 
Earlier in the day, SUNY Morrisville posted a 99-89 victory over SUNY Potsdam in the consolation game. Hilbert's Quran Briggs, Potsdam's Brandon Segar Jr, Morrisville's Shukell Brown and a pair of RPI players, Jonny Angbazo and Will Rubin, were named to the All-Tournament Team.

HIGHLIGHTS
The Engineers got 24 points, four rebounds, and eight assists from Will Rubin and 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals from Jonny Angbazo. They both shot 7 of 11 from the floor.

"RPI is a one of the best teams ranked in Division III preseason poll and they played like they deserved to be there," said Hilbert coach Rob deGrandpre. "They were physical and shot the ball well. But we did give ourselves chances yet we didn't capitalize when we should have."

Quran Briggs and Edward Perez were the only two Hawks to reach double figure points, scoring 16 and 12 respectively. Perez made all four field goal attempts and hit 4-of-6 from the foul line while Briggs tossed in five shots from the floor, hitting only one from downtown.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• RPI took an early lead, but Shaheem Ellis connected from downtown to lift the Hawks 10-9 just four minutes into the game.
• The Hawks held the lead except for one possession and fought off multiple tied score situations until RPI drilled back-to-back three-pointers to go up by six (35-29) with about four and half minutes left in opening half. 
• RPI hit two more shots behind the arc and took a 50-41 lead to the locker room.
• The Engineers never relinquished their hold on the scoreboard, maintained a double-digit margin and stretched it to 20-points with just about five minutes before the final horn.

GAME NOTES 

• RPI finished the game hitting 59.6 percent from the floor and knocked down 10 3-pointers (47.6%), seven in the first half when it started to find rhythm.
• Hilbert shot the ball well from the floor (46.9 percent) and were much better from the foul line today, hitting 26-of-33 attempts, but the Engineers defended the perimeter and limited Hilbert to eight 3-point attempts.
• RPI was credited with 21 assists on 34 made buckets, while the Hawks finished with only six assists on 23 makes.
• Zach Miller and Eric Jackson added nine points, Perez led the Hawks with six rebounds, four on the offensive glass.
• Hilbert converted only 12 points off turnovers while they gave up 33 to the visitors.