CLEVELAND, OH – The University of Rochester men's basketball team saw all five of its starters score in double-figures, leading to a season-high points total, in an 89-87 victory over Case Western Reserve University at Horsburgh Gymnasium in University Athletic Association action on Friday night.
 
Rochester (7-12, 1-7 UAA) was led by junior Corvin Oprea who had an efficient night, scoring 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while making four 3-pointers. He added seven rebounds and had three assists.
 
Classmate Tomiwa Adetosoye had 16 points and three assists, while graduate student Bennett Kwiecinski added 14 points and six boards. Both Logan Jagodzinski and Nate Sock added 12 points each and combined for 12 rebounds and 5 assists.
 
Friday night's contest was close throughout, featuring 12 ties and 20 lead changes, including two of each in the final minute of regulation.
 
The Yellowjackets led by as many as 10 points in the second half, following a jumper by Sock with under four minutes left in the game.
 
Shortly after, the host Spartans (6-13, 2-6 UAA) switched to a full-court press, catching Rochester a bit off guard down the stretch.
 
The defensive switch forced a couple big turnovers, allowing the Spartans to go on a 16-5 run over 2:19 to take a one-point lead, up 87-86 following a pair of free throws from Andy Barba with 37 seconds left.
 
CWRU was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field in the run, with Sam Trunley accounting for six points. Umar Rashid and Matthew Ellis also sank 3-pointers in the late-game surge.
 
After the Spartans took the lead, Sock missed a mid-range jump shot, but Kwiecinski did a solid job on the glass, picking up a huge offensive rebound and was fouled on the putback with just six ticks remaining.
 
Kwiecinski sank both free throws to give the 'Jackets the lead, and on the ensuing inbounds play, a CWRU loose ball turnover was scooped up by Adetosoye for a steal with two seconds left. The junior hit the first free throw after being fouled.
 
After the second shot clanged off the rim, Case Western Reserve grabbed the rebound, but did not have enough time for a buzzer-beating heave, allowing the Yellowjackets to hold on.
 
Trunley finished with a game-high 24 points for the Spartans, adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals to is stat line. Rashid hit four 3-pointers and ended with 23 points, also recording a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
Much of the first half was played with both teams sitting within five points of one another.
 
Case Western Reserve's largest lead of the night reached five after a Rashid 3-pointer seven minutes into the contest.
 
UR quickly tied it after Kwiecinski triple and Ethan McEachern jump shot, and the score was tight until Rochester went on an 8-0 run late in the half to build a decent lead.
 
During the spurt, Oprea scored six straight points and Adetosoye sank two free throws to make the Rochester lead eight.
 
A Trunley 3-pointer as the halftime buzzer sounded sent the teams to the locker rooms with Rochester in front 46-41.
 
The Spartans creeped back in front after three and a half minutes elapsed in the second half, scoring 10 of the first 14 points after intermission.
 
Theo Murray and Adetosoye combined on a 7-3 run for UR to regain the lead, but CWRU answered right back with six straight points to edge back in front by three.
 
Jagodzinski and Andy Barba traded 3-pointers to move the score to 63-60 in favor of the Spartans before the Yellowjackets embarked on a 12-0 run, spanning four minutes to surge into the lead.
 
Six different 'Jackets scored during the stretch, which saw CWRU go ice cold, missing all seven attempts from the floor.
 
On the night, Rochester made 50% (33-66) of its shots overall and ended at 43.5% (10-23) from distance. The Spartans shot at a 44.1% (30-68) clip overall and made 16 3-pointers in 38 attempts (42.1%) while also making all 11 free throw attempts in the contest.
 
Up next, Rochester looks to make it two straight on the road, playing at Carnegie Mellon University on Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.