ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The University of Rochester and Utica College have met twice in tournament championship games. On Sunday, they will play again, this time in the title game of the Holiday Inn Rochester
Downtown Tournament.
 
They booked spots in the final with dominant performances in the second half of the first round. Rochester defeated Keuka, 80-46, and Utica pulled away from Neumann University, 78-60. UR is 6-1, Keuka 1-3, Utica 4-1, and Neumann 4-4.
 
Neumann will play Keuka at 1 p.m. in the third place game. The Rochester-Utica tilt will start at 3 p.m. UR defeated the Pioneers in the title game of the Chuck Resler Tournament in the 2014-15 season (76-53) and in the 2017-18 Resler title game (72-67).
 
Rochester shot 63% from the floor in the second half to pull away from as 30-25 halftime lead over Keuka. For the evening, the Yellowjackets shot 52.5% and held the Wolves to 24.6%. The Yellowjackets took charge in the second period, outscoring the Wolves, 12-0, over the first four minutes. All 12 points came in the paint: six from Ryan Algier, four from Patrick Benka, and a pullup on the break by Kailan Lee.
 
Algier led UR with 15 points, nine rebounds, and five blocked shots. Brian Amabilino Perez scored 13 points with nine boards. Benka sank two treys enroute to 12 points. Ross Gang had six defensive boards, and eight assists.
 
James Barnes scored 14 points for Keuka. The Wolves did not have another double figure scorer. Kyle Coffin scored eight, Jordan Lewis had six. Elijah Smalls had six rebounds and four points.
 
In the Utica-Neumann game, the Pioneers stretched a 32-30 halftime lead to eight points, 52-44, before Neumann made a run. Both teams hit a three-minute scoreless streak. Neumann's Nasir Cassel made two free throws. Anthony Mitchell hit a jumper on the break and completed the three-point play (50-47 at 9:05). Kimedrick Murphy's two free throws put UC up, 52-47. Haneef Vaughn  fed Justin Smith for a layup, then hit a runner in the paint.
 
Brett Talbert scored five points in a mini 7-0 run for Utica that restored the eight-point advantage.
 
Darius Hopkins led Utica with 20 points. He added six rebounds and six assists. Thomas Morreale had 14 points and 10 boards. Kobe Lufkin scored 10 points. Murphy had eight points nine rebounds, five assists, and six blocked shots.
 
Mitchell was the Neumann scoring leader with 16 points. Nasir Cassel had nine points and six rebounds. Vaughn finished with eight points.