News Release

CORTLAND, N.Y. — Junior forward Brian Andruskiewicz (Oakdale, CT/Montville) made 9-of-11 shots, including all three of his three-point attempts, in a 25-point effort as Ithaca defeated Cortland, 79-70. The Bombers improve to 2-2, with both wins coming versus Cortland. The Red Dragons are 4-2, with both losses to Ithaca.

Andruskiewicz also finished with seven rebounds. Jim Bellis (Bloomfield) scored 17 points and Brian Joe (Elmira/Southside) added 13 points, including three three-pointers. Jon Whetstone (Palo Alto, CA) led the Bombers with nine rebounds and six assists.

Cortland had four double-figure scorers, led by 16 points apiece from junior Frank Ranieri (Cicero/Cicero-North Syracuse) and sophomore Dave Jutton (Red Hook). Ranieri made 7-of-11 field goals and grabbed five rebounds. Jutton was 6-of-10 from the field. Senior Justin O'Garrow (Port Washington/Paul D. Schreiber) scored 15 points and pulled down six rebounds and sophomore Rod Headley (Peekskill) added 11 points and five rebounds. Junior Brian Kirchhoff (Webster) recorded team-highs of seven rebounds and three assists.

Ithaca led 30-23 with 6:47 left in the first half, but the Red Dragons went on an 8-0 run to take a 31-30 lead with 2:20 left. A three-pointer by Joe at the buzzer gave Ithaca a 35-34 lead heading into the locker room.

The second half stayed close most of the way. Cortland took a 56-52 lead with 9:58 left on a Ranieri layup, but a 9-0 Ithaca run, capped by an Andruskiewicz layup, gave the Bombers a 61-56 advantage with 7:04 remaining. The hosts were within two points with 5:28 left before a decisive 10-2 run, including two Joe three-pointers and two baskets by Jesse Roth (Saratoga Springs), put the Bombers up by 10 with 2:33 left. Roth finished with 10 points and five assists.

Cortland was able to get back within five with 43 seconds remaining, but Ithaca made its final six free throws, four by Andruskiewicz.

Ithaca shot 50 percent from the floor, 53 percent in the second half. The Bombers connected on 10-of-23 three-pointers. Cortland shot 41 percent and made only 3-of-19 shots from long distance.

Ithaca College vs SUNY Cortland
12/7/04 8 p.m. at Cortland, NY (Corey Gym)

ITHACA COLLEGE 79, SUNY CORTLAND 70

ITHACA COLLEGE (2-2)
ANDRUSKIEWICZ, Brian 9-11 4-4 25; BELLIS, Jim 6-10 3-4 17; JOE, Brian 5-8
0-0 13; ROTH, Jesse 5-10 0-0 10; HOUCK, Ian 3-7 0-0 8; WHETSTONE, Jon 1-4
2-2 4; STAHN, Sean 1-1 0-0 2; THOMAS, Nate 0-6 0-0 0; BOZZONE, Matt 0-3 0-0
0. Totals 30-60 9-10 79.

SUNY CORTLAND (4-2)
RANIERI, Frank 7-11 2-4 16; JUTTON, Dave 6-10 2-4 16; O'GARROW, Justin 4-10
6-8 15; HEADLEY, Rod 4-9 3-4 11; MERRITT, Quentin 1-1 3-3 5; SARGENT, Joe
2-5 0-0 4; KIRCHHOFF, Brian 1-8 1-1 3; PROCINO, Jamie 0-2 0-0 0; JANKIEWICZ,
Michael 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 25-61 17-24 70.

Ithaca College................   35   44  -   79
SUNY Cortland.................   34   36  -   70

3-point goals-Ithaca College 10-23 (JOE, Brian 3-6; ANDRUSKIEWICZ, Brian
3-3; BELLIS, Jim 2-4; HOUCK, Ian 2-5; THOMAS, Nate 0-4; ROTH, Jesse 0-1),
SUNY Cortland 3-19 (JUTTON, Dave 2-6; O'GARROW, Justin 1-2; KIRCHHOFF, Brian
0-6; JANKIEWICZ, Michael 0-3; HEADLEY, Rod 0-1; RANIERI, Frank 0-1). Fouled
out--Ithaca College-None, SUNY Cortland-None. Rebounds-Ithaca College 32
(WHETSTONE, Jon 9), SUNY Cortland 39 (KIRCHHOFF, Brian 7). Assists-Ithaca
College 17 (WHETSTONE, Jon 6), SUNY Cortland 9 (KIRCHHOFF, Brian 3). Total
fouls-Ithaca College 17, SUNY Cortland 14. A-370