Avitabile, already a four-time Liberty League rookie-of-the-week, scored 20 points on 9 of 13 shooting, to lead the Brewers, with 14 of those points coming in the second half. Ranked second in FG percentage in Division III according to the latest NCAA release, his 69.2% was slightly above his season mark of 67%.
Despite giving up several inches inside, Avitabile was forced to carry the load for the Brewers, as the other four starters shot an icy 25.6%. Vassar jacked up 25 three-pointers, two-and-a-half times as many as RPI, and connecting on only 28.0%.
RPI, by far the top-ranked rebounding team in the Liberty League with a margin of +6.8, dominated the boards, with 51 rebounds (20 offensive) to Vassar’s 39. But they are also the second-worst shooting team in the conference, and their 33.3% mark here does nothing to help that statistic.
The first half was played back and forth, with neither team really able to assert control over the other. RPI burst out to a seven point lead (14-7) in the first ten minutes but a 25-10 Vassar run over the final ten minutes left the Brewers up eight at the break (32-24). That lead had ballooned to 13 (44-31) with 12:48 to play before RPI made its move.
A three-pointer by Tom Schneider (19 pts, 8 rebs), capped a personal 9-2 run for the junior forward cut the lead to six before Avitabile stopped the bleeding off a nice assist from sophomore forward William Kieffer (Chappaqua, NY/Horace Greely). But two layups from senior guard Paris Moore (17 pts, 11 rebs) and a pair of free throws by junior guard Joe Johnson gave RPI its first lead of the second half with 5:45 remaining.
Vassar junior guard Will Byrne (Chelmsford, MA/Concord Academy) hit two free throws to pull within one before Avitabile’s heroics. With two layups and two free throws in a minute flat, Vassar had taken back the lead and was able to hang on for the victory. Schneider had a decent look for the win, but his three-point attempt clanged off the iron as the final horn sounded.
Vassar coach Mike Dutton was happy with the victory and the way his team responded to adversity. “This is what we’re going to see every night in this league, teams coming from behind,” Dutton said. “RPI is the toughest rebounding team in the league, monsters on the glass, and we’re fortunate they didn’t make more shots. And Lawrence Avitabile played like a senior!”
Vassar returns to action on Friday and Saturday, with conference games against St. Lawrence and Clarkson.