ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The University of Rochester relied on some staunch defense – and several key blocks down the stretch - to capture a 74-68 OT win over Medaille College in a men's basketball game at the Blue Cross Arena downtown.
 
Rochester blocked eight shots in all – four by Ryan Algier, two by T.C. Price, one from Brian Amabilino Perez and one from Trent Noordsij.
 
The victory gives Rochester a final mark of 4-2 in this pandemic-shortened season. This was Medaille's third game as an exhibition. The Mavericks are 1-2 in that category.
 
Algier led Rochester with 28 points. He was a dominant force inside, particularly in the second half when he scored 18 points. For the game, he hit 12 of 14 from the floor. Ross Gang added 12 points, four coming in overtime and a crucial layup with 26 seconds left that tied the score at 68-all. Mitchell Kershner scored 10 points, a pair of buckets 96 seconds apart in the OT to keep the Yellowjackets ahead.
 
Medaille's point leader was Rodney Graves. He hit a game-high 33 points including seven 3-pointers. He matched Algier point-for-point, scoring 20 after halftime. Travis Sanders had 12 points for the Mavericks. Kendall McGill had seven points and was a defensive presence for Medaille, staying tight with Rochester players and swiping at the ball to poke it free. The Mav's strategy worked. Rochester turned the ball over 24 times, leading to 17 Medaille points. Julen Blazquez had five of Medaille's nine steals.
 
UR did most of it damage inside. The Yellowjackets outscored Medaille, 46-22 in the paint. Rochester scored 17 points on fast breaks and produced 10 second-chance points on nine offensive rebounds.
 
The Yellowjackets jumped way ahead, 14-2 through the first five minutes. It grew to 10 points, 25-15, on a three-pointer from C.J. Amsellem with 6:32 left in the first half. Four players scored for Medaille and when Jorge Latapia made a layup, the UR lead was four, 28-24. It was six, 34-28, at halftime.
 
Graves – with a 3-pointer – and Sanders scored early in the second half to get Medaille going. By the time Rochester made its first basket of the second half – an Algier layup from Gang – the lead was three, 38-35, at 14:32. A Graves trey tied it at 38-38. A layup from Gang, a jumper by Eric Cannon, and two free throws from Kershner put Rochester ahead by six, but it didn't last. For the final 11 minutes, the largest point spread was three.
 
A triple from Graves put the Mavs up, 59-57, and Travis Sanders made one free throw for a 60-57 lead at 3:16. Gang made a layup, then Algier dropped in a layup to nudge Rochester ahead, 61-60, with 1:18 to go. Graves made one of two at the line and Algier matched him with 46 seconds remaining (62-61 UR). Graves hit his last 3-pointer, this one with 27 seconds left. It put the blue-clad guests in front, 64-62. UR came out of a timeout, got the ball to Gang, and he burst downcourt for a layup, tying the score at 21-all with :21 left. Graves couldn't get an open look and his 3-point try misfired. Gang rebounded at the buzzer.
 
The early minutes of overtime were pretty much the same thing. Gang drove for a layup right off the opening tap. T.C. Price stole the ball for Rochester, but Kailan Lee's shot was off-target. Graves evened it for Medaille. Kershner scored off Gang's pass (68-66 UR). Gang then rebounded a 3-point miss. Price assisted on another Kershner layup and a 70-66 edge with the game clock under two minutes.
 
Noordsij, Price, and Algier (two) all blocked shots – perimeter jumpers – in the final 80 seconds to clinch the win.
 
Notes: Kailan Lee was honored before the game in a Senior Day ceremony. He will graduate in May and has secured a job in New York City. He finished with eight points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals… Rochester played three overtime games last year, two vs. Case Western Reserve… This was the fourth meeting between UR and Medaille in men's basketball, the first since 2001… The 28-point output by Ryan Algier is his eighth career game of 20+ points, four of them this season. It is his season high this year and his second high point total.