The University of Rochester men's basketball team used a great all-around game from All-American guard John DiBartolomeo to push past RIT 78-48 in its return to the Palestra after the holidays on Wednesday evening.
 
The #4 ranked Yellowjackets (11-0) got 21 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks from DiBartolomeo who only played 25 minutes.  Only one other UR player recorded double digit points with Kevin Sheehy scoring 10 points in the balanced team effort.
 
Rochester hit 13 3-pointers and shot 56% from behind the arc while also grabbing nine more rebounds than the Tigers (4-5).  UR scored 17 points off 15 RIT turnovers while only committing six mishaps themselves.
 
The game got off to an exciting start when after a steal, sophomore Kent Coyne rose up and slammed home a dunk to ignite the building.  Three straight buckets by Sheehy, Tyler Sankes and Nate Vernon pushed the UR lead to six with 11 minutes left in the half, and the visiting Tigers would not get closer than five the rest of the night.
 
DiBartolomeo closed out the first session scoring Rochester's last 10 points to push the lead to 15 at 37-22.
 
The Yellowjackets then used a 15-6 run to start the second half and put the Tigers away.  With 14:47 remaining, the lead was 22.  UR's bench then finished the game, getting the score to the final 30-point margin.  The Yellowjacket reserves outscored RIT's bench by 22, 35-13.
 
Earlier this season, the Yellowjackets defeated the Tigers in the first round of the Wendy's Classic, 66-59 at Hobart.  The series between the crosstown rivals now sits at 35-17 in favor of Rochester.
 
Overall, 12 players scored for Rochester including Vernon who finished with nine points.  Coyne, Sankes and Jared Seltzer each finished with six points.  Dean Kennedy was tough on the glass, finishing with five rebounds.
 
For the Tigers, Nick Dobson and Eric Travis led the way scoring 12 points each on 5-7 shooting.  Travis and Case Bobelis were RIT's top rebounders with five each.
 
The U of R next begins its tough UAA conference schedule on Saturday when they host Emory University at 12 pm.  All of Rochester's remaining 14 games will be University Athletic Association contests.