PITTSFORD, N.Y. – David Gould scored a career high 22 points and Mike Labanowski added 12 as the University of Rochester defeated St. John Fisher, 70-54, in the quarterfinals of the Wendy's College Classic at Fisher's Manning & Napier Varsity Gym.
The win puts Rochester (5-1) into the semifinals on Friday night at Roberts Wesleyan College against Hobart College. Hobart defeated SUNY Geneseo, 66-62. Fisher (1-3) will play Geneseo in the consolation round at Hobart on Friday.
Jordan Gettings and Brett Harder scored 12 points apiece for the Cardinals. Rochester and Fisher played for the Wendy's Classic title last year at the Palestra with UR posting a 60-54 victory. Rochester had lost four straight at Manning & Napier against Fisher, including a quarterfinal Wendy's loss in 2001-02.
With the score tied at 10, UR's Dan Shapiro hit a three-point goal with 12:53 left in the opening half. That gave UR the lead for good at 13-10. It grew to 10 points, 23-13, on a conventional three-point play by Rob Reid.
A layup by Koch helped Fisher climb within five with just over three minutes left in the half. Shapiro hit another three-pointer to start a 6-0 run. Rochester led, 36-27, at halftime.
Two free throws by Nate Novosel and a jumper by Gould stretched the UR lead to 40-28 in the first minute of the second half. Harder's three-pointer capped a 9-2 Fisher run to bring the Cardinals within 42-37 with 15 minutes left. Nate Vernon and Gould hit three-point goals in the next four minutes and UR led by 11, 48-37, with 10:59 left.
Fisher rallied again, pulling within 48-41 in a minute. Gould and Chris Dende hit three-pointers and the Yellowjackets used pinpoint foul shooting in the closing minutes to nail down the win.
For the game, Rochester hit 46% from the floor, 52% in the first half. Fisher shot 33% for the game, 30% in the first 20 minutes.
Rochester hit eight three-pointers; three by Gould, two by Shapiro, one apiece by Vernon, Dende, and John DiBartolomeo. The Yellowjackets made 18 of 20 free throws, 11 of 12 in the second half. Fisher was 14 of 23 from the stripe.
DiBartolomeo and Vernon played in their first game of the year. DiBartolomeo scored nine points, had three assists, and a team-high six rebounds. Vernon scored five points.