ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Lycoming rallied back from a 16 point halftime deficit to pull within one point, but the University of Rochester was able to hit free throws down the stretch to seal a 63-59 win in the final game of the Holiday Inn Airport Classic.
Lycoming led early, 11-8, before Rochester mounted a 23-4 run to pull away from the Warriors.
Trailing 31-15 at halftime and shooting just 33.3 percent from the field, Lycoming came out as a different team in the second half. The Warriors put together a 36-20 run to pull within one point at 52-51 with just over seven minutes to play.
Rochester advanced its lead to 58-51 with 3:06 to play, but Lycoming mounted another run, this time scoring six unanswered points to make the score 58-57 with 1:14 left on the clock. The Yellow Jackets converted free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Greg Sye (Chantilly, Va.) led the Warriors with his second-straight 22-point performance. He also pulled down six rebounds. Sye finished the tournament with 44 points and 16 rebounds, earning him All-Tournament honors.
Will Kelly (Williamsport, Pa.) finished the game with 12 points, adding to his 16-point performance in the opening game of the tournament. For his efforts in the tournament, he was also named to the All-Tournament team.
Eric Anthony (Wheeling, W.V.) was the only other Lycoming player in double figures, scoring 11 points and handing out four assists in the game. Anthony Watson (Philadelphia, Pa.) added seven assists.
Lycoming finished with a shooting percentage of 44.9, including a 56.0 percent effort in the second half. The Warriors finished the game at 40 percent (8-of-20) from behind the 3-point line.
Rochester posted a 50.0 percent shooting effort, led by tournament MVP Mike Chmielowiec’s 16 points. Marcus Roberson finished with 15 points and Mike Labanowski added 14 for the Yellow Jackets.
With the loss, Lycoming drops to 3-2 this season while Rochester improves to 4-1.
The Warriors will be back in action on Wednesday, Dec. 3, traveling to Elmira for a 7 p.m. tip.
