Rochester Rallies Past Wittenberg, 62-57

More news about: Rochester
Nov 28, 2010

 ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Dan Shapiro sank a three-pointer from left wing with 0:35 left and Nate Novosel made two clinching free throws with 0:04 remaining as the University of Rochester rallied for a 62-57 victory over Wittenberg University in the championship game of the Holiday Inn Airport Invitational at the Palestra.

Rochester rallied from a seven-point deficit with 7:20 to play. The Yellowjackets improved to 4-1 overall. Wittenberg is 1-3.

Rob Reid led Rochester with 15 points and nine rebounds, seven off the offensive glass. Novosel and Chris Dende scored 14 apiece. Mike Labanowski had 10.

Clayton Black had a double-double for Wittenberg with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Chris Sullivan scored 17, and Cameron Walton added 10.

Black had 14 of his 18 in the first half, hitting seven of 10 from the floor. Sullivan, who scored 30 in a semifinal win over Washington & Jefferson on Saturday, scored three points, hitting one three-point goal. The score was tied at 30-30 at halftime.

The Tigers led early in the second half, taking a 40-35 lead on Sullivan's three-pointer five minutes into the period. Rochester ran off a 10-2 spurt, four points from Novosel, and went up, 45-42, with 12:00 left. With the score tied at 47-47, Wittenberg scored seven straight; a jumper by Sullivan, two free throws from Black, and a three-pointer from Sullivan to build a 54-47 lead with 7:20 left.

Dende hit a three-pointer and Novosel made two medium-range jumpshots to even the score at 54-54 with 5:05 left. Sullivan's three put the Tigers up, 57-54, with 4:09 remaining, but they did not score again. Reid's layup and one of two foul shots tied it with just over two minutes to play. 

The tournament MVP award went to Dende, who scored 35 points in two games with five assists and two steals. Reid was named to the all-tournament team with 31 points, eight assists, and one steal. Black and Sullivan represented Wittenberg. The team was completed by Zach Moore of Pitt-Bradford and Paul Matthews of Washington & Jefferson. Pitt-Bradford took third place with a 65-55 win over W&J.