ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Jared Seltzer posted career highs of 24 points and 14 rebounds while Sam Borst-Smith added 18 points, five assists and five steals to push the University of Rochester past RIT, 80-64, in the second semifinal of the Wendy's College Classic at the Louis Alexander Palestra Friday night.
Rochester (6-2) will play in Saturday's championship game against Roberts Wesleyan College at 8 pm. The Yellowjackets have won 11 Wendy's Classic men's titles, more than any other team. Roberts Wesleyan has three Wendy's titles, including the inaugural one in 1966-67 (92-81 over RIT).
This is the 50th and final year of the men's Classic. It is being discontinued due to schedule commitments of some of the teams.
A.J. Horde scored a game-high 25 points for RIT. He sank five three-point goals. Mitch Herman scored 12 points, all coming on four three-pointers. RIT is 3-3.
Rochester used a 16-0 burst over four minutes late in the first half to surge into the lead. RIT, behind two treys apiece from Horde and Herman, opened an 18-6 lead in the first five minutes. When Troy Pierre-Louis sank a three-pointer from left wing, the Tigers had a 24-13 lead with 9:10 left.
Five Rochester players contributed to the 16-0 game-turning run. Borst-Smith was the ringleader, scoring half the points. Seltzer made a layup to get Rochester within one point (24-23). Then Jacob Wittig and Borst-Smith added layups off steals. Zack Ayers scored on a put-back to finish the burst and extend Rochester's lead to 29-24 with 5:30 left. Rochester led, 41-31, at halftime.
Herman's second trey of the game pulled RIT within 44-39, before Rochester went on a 9-2 run for a 53-41 advantage. Seltzer scored four points, Mack Montague sank a three from the right corner, and Borst-Smith drove for a layup.