GENEVA, N.Y. – Senior guard John DiBartolomeo scored 16 points in the second half as the University of Rochester rallied for a 66-59 victory over Rochester Institute of Technology in the quarterfinals of the Wendy's College Classic at Bristol Gym on the campus of Hobart College.
 
The Yellowjackets (6-0) move into the semifinal round of the tournament on Friday night at the Palestra. Rochester will play St. John Fisher at 8 pm. The first semi will be a rematch of last year's championship game with Nazareth against Hobart. RIT (1-1) will play in the consolation game at SUNY Geneseo on Friday at 6 pm against Brockport.
 
DiBartolomeo finished with 25 points, hitting seven three-point goals and making all four of his foul shots. He had six assists and six rebounds. Tyler Sankes added 14 points and seven rebounds. Sankes was four of six from the floor, six of six from the line.
 
Jameel Balenton led RIT with 14 points. Nick Dobson scored 13, and Eric Travis had 10 plus a game-high nine rebounds. The Tigers won the battle of the boards, 38-29.
 
RIT shot 52% from the floor in the first half (15 of 29) and made five of six three-pointers. The shooting accuracy, board strength, and defense helped RIT take a 35-31 lead at halftime. Rochester went on a lengthy 15-8 spree midway through the first half to take a 23-14 lead with 11:22 left. The Yellowjackets went without a field goal for nearly eight minutes (0-9) before DiBartolomeo made a trey for a 30-27 lead.
 
Balenton answered with a three-pointer and layup and the Tigers closed the half with a three-pointer from Michael D'Amico.
 
Neither team could get more than a five point lead for the first eight minutes. With Rochester ahead, 45-40 after Kyle Reardon's layup, RIT went on a mini 7-0 run in less than two minutes and tied the score at 47-47 on D'Amico's three-pointer from left of the key.
 
Rochester made eight free throws – four by Sankes, two by DiBartolomeo and Rob Reid – and DiBartolomeo hit two three-pointers for a 63-55 edge with 4:14 left.
 
Balenton and Dobson made two free throws each to cut the lead to four, 63-59, with 2:35 left. Rochester ran more than a minute off the clock with the help of two offensive rebounds from Kent Coyne. He was fouled and sank one of two at 1:22 (64-59). After RIT missed a trey and a followup jumper, Coyne claimed a defensive board and closed out the scoring with two free throws at 0:17.