CLINTON, N.Y. – Rochester roared to an 18-2 start in the first 7:01 and rolled to an 82-60 victory over Hamilton College at the Bundy Field House on Wednesday evening.
The Yellowjackets, ranked No. 11 this week by D3hoops.com, improved to 9-0. Hamilton is 3-4.
John DiBartolomeo and Nate Vernon scored 17 points apiece to lead Rochester. DiBartolomeo added eight assists. Rob Reid and Tyler Seidman had eight points apiece and Kent Coyne scored six on a pair of three-pointers in the opening run.
Matt Hart scored 16 points for Hamilton and Greg Newton added 11. The Continentials hit 21 of 55 from the floor (.382) and five of 14 outside the arc (.357). Rochester shot .558 from the floor (29 of 52) and .500 outside the arc (11 of 22). The Yellowjackets had a 33-23 advantage on the boards.
Rochester took advantage of Hamilton's cold spell to start the game. The Continentals hit just one of nine from the floor and lost the ball twice on turnovers. Rochester made five of its first eight from the floor – three three-pointers – and turned the ball over once.
Coyne scored six points in the opening seven minutes on the pair of threes. Kyle Reardon added a three-point goal. DiBartolomeo made a layup and followed later with a conventional three-point play. Vernon sank a pair of free throws.
A year ago, Hamilton came to the Palestra with an 8-0 record. Rochester opened the game on a 15-0 run enroute to an 83-58 victory.