Kailan Lee scored 25 points on near-perfect shooting and Ryan Algier added 21 points, three blocks, and nine rebounds, as the University of Rochester rallied to defeat St. John Fisher College, 78-75, in the Mark's Pizzeria Crosstown Shootout at UR's Louis Alexander Palestra.
Rochester improved to 4-0 overall. St. John Fisher is 2-2. The Cardinals are ranked No. 25 in the d3hoops.com poll.
Lee hit all nine of his field goal attempts, made 4-4 outside the arc, and was 3-4 at the line. Algier was 8-12 from the floor, 5-8 at the line. The point totals are career highs for both players.
Sean Williams scored 21 points, handed out six assists, and made three steals for SJFC. He came off the bench to make 7-10 from the floor, 4-5 on threes, and 3-3 at the line. James Leone scored 14 points and Sammy Robinson scored 13.
It was back and forth throughout. Rochester took advantage of some cold shooting by the Cardnials and went on a 20-8 run over six minutes to build a 25-14 lead with 10:47 left. Lee made two treys in the burst, Patrick Benka sank one, and Algier converted a traditional three point play.
UR stretched the lead to 32-19 on a three-point play by Trent Noordsi with over seven minutes left in the half. Fisher battled back through transition, whether it came off missed UR shots or steals. Williams scored eight points in that three-minute rush. His layup and free throw tied the game at 32-all. It was 43-41 Fisher at halftime.
A 10-2 Rochester run in the middle of the second half pushed the Yellowjackets ahead, 59-52. Algier scored five of the points. Fisher got even at 66-66 on Robinson's triple from right with and 6:49 left.
Lee made 1-2 from the line – his only miss of the night – to put UR up, 67-66. Three Cardinals scored – Robinson's layup off a steal, William's three from right wing, and another fast break layup by Leon. That put the lead at 73-67 for SJFC.
Rochester scored 10 straight: a layup by Algier, Lee's three-pointer from right wing (73-72 SJFC at 3:26), one free throw from Ross Gang (73-73, with 2:33 left). Algier's layup at 2:05 put UR ahead to stay. Lee added two free throws with 29 seconds remaining (77-73). In the last 20 seconds, Leone drove for a dunk. The Cardinals fouled T.C. Price who made the back end of two for a three-point edge.
On Saturday, St. John Fisher will play RIT and Rochester will face Nazareth. These are pre-determined matchups. In the first game Thursday, Nazareth rallied to defeat RIT, 70-65.