RPI Tops Vermont Tech Men's Basketball 78-53

Three-pointers highlighted the beginning of the game as Vermont Tech and RPI went back-and-forth with deep shots. The Green Knights hit five of their first seven three point attempts with Junior Jamal Hughes (Stone Mountain, GA) knocking one down to give Vermont Tech a 15-14 advantage. The Engineers hit their share of shots from beyond the perimeter as well including one from senior Josh Dugas (Monroe, CT) that gave RPI the 22-17 lead near the midpoint of the first half. With the teams working mostly from the outside, fouls were scarce in the opening period; the first was called on VTC with 10:11 to go in the first, and a total of five were called all half.

RPI started to consistently make its shots, pulling out to a 40-27 lead with 3:23 to play in the first. On the following possession Sophomore Nick Ryan (Perth Australia) drove the middle of the lane for a lay-up to cut the lead to 40-29 before both sides ceased to score for the remaining three minutes, sending the Engineers into the break with the 11-point lead.

Vermont Tech came out of the locker room and getting on the scoreboard first with a lay-up from Jack Griffiths (England), but RPI answered every time to maintain its advantage. The Engineers opened things up towards the end of the game, eventually increasing their lead.  

Hughes recorded 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds in the effort while junior Logan White (So. Royalton, VT) also scored 15 on 4-8 shooting from three-point range. Knight junior Rashaad Powery-Saunds (Cayman Islands) got in on the block party with four of his own to go with three rebounds.

Four RPI starters scored double digits with Tyler Gendron (Merrimack, NH) leading the way with 17points and seven rebounds. Junior Brian Hatcher (Danbury, CT) followed with 16 points while Dugas finished with 15 and a tie for the game-high in assists with four. Sophomore Nate Kane (Glenmont, NY) also dished out four helpers while notching 10 points. Junior Chase Almond (South Kingston, RI) was a force on the defensive end of the floor for RPI, swatting away five Knight shots while grabbing nine defensive boards; he scored nine points and totaled a game-best 15 rebounds in the win.

Vermont Tech shot 32.8 percent (19-58) from the floor, while RPI went 46.3 percent 31-67. The Engineers forced VTC to make 14 turnovers and turned them into 15 points. RPI only had seven turnovers and allowing the Knights to only get two points. RPI scored 32 points in the paint compared to 18 on the Vermont Tech side.

Vermont Tech takes to the floor on Tuesday, hosting Northern Essex Community College for a 6 p.m. tip.

Tri-State Shootout All-Tournament Team

SVC -DeShawn Hamlet (Hartford, Connecticut) MVP

SVC- Casey Hall (Albany, New York) on the 2014 Tri-State Shootout All-Tournament Team.

MCLA-Ruben Delrosaio (Springfield, Massachusetts)

MCLA- Adam Conquest (Gardner, Massachusetts)

VTC Jamal Hughes (Stone Mountain, Georgia)

RPI Tyler Gendron (Merrimack, New Hampshire)