ST. LOUIS - Dylan Richter and Ben Hoener combined for 43 points to lead Washington University to an 83-78 victory over the University of Rochester at the WU Field House on Friday night.
Richter finished with 23 points and Hoener scored a career-best 20 for the Bears (13-4 overall, 5-1 University Athletic Association). Rochester is 11-6 overall, 2-4 UAA.
With the win, Washington takes sole possesison of first place. NYU lost at home to Carnegie Mellon and Emory lost, 103-102, at Chicago in the final seconds. Emory plays at Washington Sunday. Rochester goes to Chicago.
Nate Vernon led UR with 21 points.
John DiBartolomeo scored 19 points and added eight assists. He is 21 points shy of 1,000 career points.
Tyler Seidman scored 15 points.
A three-point play by DiBartolomeo pulled UR within 74-72 with 1:29 left. Hoener hit a bank shot and Matt Palucki followed with a three-point goal to extend the lead to 79-72.
DiBartolomeo and Vernon both hit three-point shots in the last 20 seconds. Vernon's trey got Rochester within 81-78. Hoener sealed it with two free throws with eight seconds left.
Both teams shot well. Rochester hit 27 of 53 (53%). Washington made 28 of 48 from the floor (58%). Rochester sank nine of 20 outside the arc. Washington was 5 of 10 (50%).
A 9-2 run in the first half put Rochester ahead, 18-12, its largest lead of the game. Nate Novosel finished the run with a layup. Washington followed with a 10-0 spree later in the half for a 29-20 lead. The Bears led by eight at halftime.
Rochester narrowed the deficit to one point twice in less than a minute later in the second half. Seidman made two free throws, pulling Rochester wi8thin 66-65 at 5:42. With 4:45 to go,
Kevin Sheehy weaved through traffic for a layup that cut it to 68-67.
