CANTON, N.Y. - Senior Mitchel Wayand scored 20 points and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's basketball team used a 21-0 second half run to defeat St. Lawrence University 73-63 in the regular season finale for both schools. The Engineers have won four straight games to improve to 22-3 overall and a Liberty League-best 17-1. The Saints are now 8-16 and 6-12.

RPI held a 30-29 lead at halftime despite being held to just 36.7 percent shooting in the opening 30 minutes. It was aided by going 6 for 15 (40%) from behind the arc, while the Saints were just 2 of 11 (18.9%) from three point range. 

St. Lawrence scored the first four points of the second half, but a three by Dom Black tied the game for Rensselaer. Luke Hicks hit his second trey of the half to put the Saints up by three (36-33) before nailing another for a 41-35 edge five minutes into the half. They held the lead until the 11:10 mark when RPI freshman Jonny Angbazo scored on a jumper to tie the game at 46-46. The Engineers eventually made it 61-46 when Black culminated the 21-point run with a layup with 5:29 to play.

The margin remained double digits, getting to as many as 18 points, until there was less than a minute to play and St. Lawrence's Cole Sargent connected on a triple to make it 71-63. Black and Wayand both made a free throw for the final margin.

Wayand hit 7 of 10 field goal attempts, including 4 of 7 from three-point range, to lead the Engineers. He also had two rebounds, an assist, a block and two steals in 31 minutes. Sophomore Mason Memmelaar had a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds with two assists and two steals and Black scored 15 points with six rebounds, three assists and two steals. 

RPI shot 48.1 percent in the second half. It finished with a 31-25 rebounding advantage while forcing 13 turnovers.

St. Lawrence was led by 19 points and five assists from Hicks, while Chris Jeffrey (11 points) and Brandon Arnold (10) both reached double figures in scoring. Jeffrey added 11 rebounds for the Saints, who earned the sixth seed in the upcoming Liberty League Tournament and will play at third-seeded Ithaca College (20-5; 15-3) on Tuesday. 

Rensselaer awaits the winner of the matchup between fourth-seeded Union College (15-9; 12-6) and fifth-seeded Vassar College (11-14; 7-11). The Engineers will host the semifinals on Saturday, February 29 (2pm & 4:30pm) and the finals on Sunday, March 1 (2pm) at East Campus Arena.