ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's basketball team poured in 56 second-half points to close out a 100–70 win over Penn State Altoona in the opening night of the Michael A. Freilich Classic at SUNY Oneonta. 

After trailing by as many as nine early, RPI flipped the game with perimeter shot-making and turnovers turned into layups, then broke it open after halftime behind a barrage of threes and balanced scoring. Andrew Deppe led with 16 points, Yechiel Stewart added 14 on 6-of-8 shooting, and PJ Scalisi and Dylan Matchett joined them in double figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively. The Engineers shot 58.3% from the floor and 48.1% from deep. 

After the Engineers took a 44–36 lead into the break, RPI would delivered the knockout rally in the opening minutes of the second half. Pat White converted three free throws, Scalisi banged in back-to-back threes around a Deppe trail triple to build a 56–40 margin, and a Stewart flurry, including a layup and two jumpers carried the lead past 20.

Blake Smith finished with 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals, Billy Feeks went a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc for nine points, and Kellen Driscoll chipped in seven. RPI's depth produced 42 bench points and a 27–2 advantage in points off turnovers, with 15 fast-break points and 30 in the paint underscoring the two-way control. 

The Engineers improve to 2–0 and will await the Oneonta/Wheaton winner tomorrow in the Freilich Classic.