University of Rochester men's basketball blistered the nets, shooting 55.1 percent from the field and knocking down 17 three-pointers as they defeated the Utica University Pioneers, 103-80, on Saturday evening inside the Louis Alexander Palestra to win the 2025 Chuck Resler Tournament.
 
The Yellowjackets won their 25th Resler Tournament behind a tremendous offensive performance, led by 37 points from Corvin Oprea, who was named the Tournament MVP. Oprea shot 7-for-11 from distance and 12-of-16 from the field, and connected on four-straight triples over a two-plus minute stretch that helped the 'Jackets take a double-digit lead.
 
Tomiwa Adetosoye also earned a spot on the Resler All-Tournament Team for his efforts, posting a near-triple-double with 12 points, six rebounds and 10 assists, while adding three steals and a block.
 
After back-to-back driving layups gave Utica the early lead, Adetosoye got Rochester on the scoreboard with a driving layup of his own just past the 19-minute mark of the first. Adetosoye and Oprea combined to score the 'Jackets' first 10 points, as the two seniors hit back-to-back triples to give URochester its first lead, 10-9, with 15:39 to play in the first.
 
Ryan McCardle answered back for Utica with a three of his own, one of three first-half triples for the Pioneers' senior.
 
Trailing 14-10, a 7-0 Rochester spurt put the 'Jackets back on top, as Jordan Owusu knocked down a three, while a turnaround jumper from Justin Odibo helped Rochester retake the lead, 17-14, with 12:29 left in the first half.
 
Another McCardle three tied things up, with a 10-0 Utica run just past the eight-minute mark gave the Pioneers a four-point advantage with under five minutes left in the half.
 
However, the 'Jackets shooters started to get hot, as Odibo and Oprea hit back-to-back-to-back three-pointers to retake the lead, while a Sam Henderson triple just before the shot clock expired gave Rochester a 44-39 lead at the break.
 
Dayion Thompson got the scoring started for Utica in the second half with a pair of free throws, cutting URochester's lead to just three, but that'd be as close as the Pioneers would get the rest of the way.
 
Oprea answered with his first of four-straight triples, as the senior scored the 'Jackets' first 14 points of the second half. Oprea's first three made it a six-point game, while his second, third and fourth, all assisted by Adetosoye, extended the Yellowjackets' lead to 13.
 
Oprea's 14 points extended a three-point lead into a 15-point advantage, helping key an 18-2 run over a three-minute stretch that gave the 'Jackets a 62-43 lead. Rochester also upped the defensive pressure over the stretch, forcing a trio of Utica turnovers as the 'Jackets put on a full-court press.
 
Layups from Owusu and Theo Murray kept the run going before McCardle hit another three, but the Yellowjackets kept on rolling, connecting on 9-of-17 triples in the second half.
 
Murray scored five-straight points, knocking down a three just past the 12-minute mark, while Henderson sank another three to make it a 21-point lead with 10:55 to play. And after Adetosoye got in on the action with yet another three, the senior found Odibo for a slam, giving the 'Jackets a 24-point, 78-54 advantage at the 9:44 mark of the second half.
 
In total, Rochester outscored Utica, 59-41 in the second period, and led by as many as 28 after Oprea knocked down his seventh three-pointer of the night just shy of the five-minute mark of the second.
 
From the 18:37 mark of the second till just shy of five minutes left, the Yellowjackets shot above 60 percent from the field and hit nine threes, outscoring Utica, 47-22 over that stretch, while forcing eight turnovers.
 
Leading by 28, the 'Jackets would cruise to victory, leading by 23, 103-80, when the final buzzer sounded. With the win, Rochester moves to 3-0 on the year, while the Pioneers suffer their first loss and drop to 2-1.
 
Oprea, one of five Yellowjackets in double figures, led all scorers with 37 points, a new career-high, while Odibo tallied 13, Adetosoye added 12, and Murray and Owusu each scored 11.
 
Adetosoye and Oprea also led URochester on the glass with six rebounds apiece, while Adetosoye had a team-high 10 assists and three steals.
 
As a team, Rochester scored 25 points off 20 Utica turnovers, tallying 12 steals for the second-straight contest. The Yellowjackets' 17 three-pointers were also the most UR has made since they connected on 16 against Farmingdale State in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, while URochester hit the century mark for the first time since 2022.
 
Thompson and McCardle were named to the All-Tournament Team from Utica for their efforts, with Thompson tallying a team-high 17 to lead the Pioneers, while McCardle knocked down 4-of-5 threes for a total of 12 points.
 
The Yellowjackets will look to keep rolling when they head crosstown for the Mark's Pizzeria Crosstown Shootout, hosted by Nazareth University. Rochester opens the shootout against St. John Fisher on Friday, Nov. 21, at 6:00 p.m., before facing the Golden Flyers on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 4:00 p.m.