ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The University of Rochester is getting hot at just the right time. Rochester won its fourth straight game and seventh in the last eight with a dominant 78-48 victory over Washington University-St. Louis in the Louis Alexander Palestra on Sunday afternoon.
Rochester is now tied for first place in the University Athletic Association standings with an 8-3 record. The Yellowjackets are 18-4 overall. UR is tied with Emory University (8-3, 17-5). Each team has three games left, including the season finale at Emory on February 23.
Washington lost its second in a row after posting seven consecutive wins in the UAA. The streak started with a 93-62 win over Rochester in St. Louis on January 13. Washington sank 15 three-point field goals in the first half that day, piled up 66 points by halftime, and cruised to the victory.
The Yellowjackets clamped down on defense with eight steals among the 14 Washington turnovers. UR turned those into 17 points. Rochester outrebounded Washington, 35-28 overall, 32-8 off the Washington glass.
Putting it into perspective, on Friday night, Rochester defeated Chicago, 63-57. On Sunday, Chicago scored twice as many points in a different pace. The Maroons defeated Emory, 114-107, in a game played at a faster pace.
Ryan Clamage led Rochester with 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. He hit 9 of 14 from the floor, 3 of 6 outside the arc, and 2 of 3 at the line. When he drove for a layup in the final minute, it was his 1,000th career point. He is the 30th men's player in 118 seasons to score 1,000 points.
He was joined in the scoring column by Jacob Wittig with 10 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Ryan Algier had 10 points in 15 minutes off the bench. Algier hit 5-5 from the floor, blocked two shots, and assisted on two others. He had two rebounds.
Alexander Gamble had nine points, Andrew Lundstrom scored eight with six rebounds and six assists. Brendan O'Shea had eight points.
Washington's leader was Justin Hardy. He scored 11 points and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds. Payden Webb scored nine points in nine late-game minutes. He sank a four-point play, nailing a three-pointer from the corner in front of his own bench and adding the free throw.
UR scored the game's first 11 points. The Yellowjackets shot 58% from the floor in the first half (15-26) and hit five of 10 outside the arc. In the second half, the Yellowjackets were sharper. They hit 63% (17 of 27) and finished the game at 60.4% (32 of 53).
Washington shot 29% in the first half (7 of 24) and 37% in the second half (10-27). The Bears sank five of 16 from three-point range on the afternoon (31%).