Zach Mager scored 31 points to lead all five starters in double figures as SUNY Oneonta defeated the University of Rochester, 95-80, in the opening round of the Chuck Resler Invitational at the Louis Alexander Palestra on Friday night.

Dan Lee had 15 points and five assists for the Red Dragons. Jack Dignan added 14 points, eight assists, one block, and four steals. Mikey McElroy scored 12, and Jackson Zuvic scored 10.

Oneonta will play Tufts University in Saturday 8 pm championship game. Tufts defeated D'Youville College, 113-81, in the other semifinal. Rochester will play D'Youville in the 3 pm third place game.

Tyler Sankes led Rochester with 17 points and nine rebounds. Sam Borst-Smith scored 14 points, and Nate Vernon had 11.

McElroy sank two three-point goals as part of an 18-3 run midway through the first half that helped Oneonta build a 36-22 lead with 5:23 left. The first half lead went to 18 twice, the second time on mager's three-pointer with 22 seconds left. McElroy made one free throw for a 51-32 lead with six seconds remaining before Borst-Smith canned a three-pointer to end the first half, leaving Oneonta up, 51-35.

Rochester cut the deficit to nine twice in the middle of the second half, first on a layup by Sankes to end a 7-0 spurt (66-57), then on another Sankes layup with 7:04 to play, 68-59. The Red Dragons got it back to 14 quickly and Rochester never got closer than 10.

Mager had 23 of his 31 by halftime. He hit five field goals (two treys) and 11-11 from the foul line in 17 minutes in the first half. He finished 16 of 17 from the line and broke the tournament record for most free throws made in one game. It was 14, held by three-players.

As a team, Oneonta was 35 of 40 from the line. The teams combined for 56 personal fouls (one disqualification each way) and 65 free throw attempts.