HOBOKEN, N.J. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute snapped a six-game losing streak and picked up its second win of the season as the Red Hawks (2-6) handed the Stevens Institute of Technology men’s basketball team its third straight loss with an 81-71 victory over the Ducks (5-4) at Canavan Arena on Wednesday evening. Freshman Sam Simmons (Newburgh, N.Y.) came up huge off the bench for RPI – finishing with a team-high 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the floor.

After a tightly-contested first half, the Red Hawks opened a 12-point lead with 12:43 remaining in the game as senior Tom Schneider (Nashua, N.H.) nailed a pair of free throws. Stevens responded with a 13-6 run in the span of 2:32 to trim the Red Hawks’ lead to five points. Freshman Damien Palantino (Philadelphia, Pa.) sparked the Ducks with a pair of three-pointers. Junior Tim Williams (Selden, N.Y.) and senior Ryan Kander (Belle Harbor, N.Y.) added field goals in the run. Senior Isaac Moore (Phoenix, Ariz.) capped the burst with a three-pointer from the left wing as Stevens clawed within 59-54 at the 9:59 mark. RPI answered right back and reestablished a double-digit lead on a pair of free throws by senior Matt Zepernick (Northport, N.Y.) with 5:53 remaining.

Trailing by 12 points, Stevens used a 7-0 run in the span of 1:55 to close to within 74-69 with 1:25 to play. Junior Stephen Peters (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y.) and Palantino began the spurt with baskets. Sophomore Waleed Farid (Woodside, N.Y.) drained a three-pointer to cut the Ducks’ deficit to five, which was the closest they would come the rest of the way.

Facing a full-court press, RPI put the game out of reach as Zepernick converted a conventional three-point play with 68 seconds remaining to push the Red Hawks’ lead to 77-69.

Palantino was one of the few bright spots for Stevens as he finished with a career-high 19 points on 5-for-11 shooting from downtown. Palantino, who was 7-for-13 from the field in the game, nailed four three-pointers in a span of 3:42 in the second half.

Williams tallied 12 points and five rebounds for the Ducks. Peters had nine points off the bench. Kander chipped in with five points and five assists.

Senior Neal Wesson (Portsmouth, R.I.) registered a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) for RPI as five players scored in double-figures. Schneider and senior Paul Halas (Sea Grit, N.J.) had 13 and 10 points, respectively. Zepernick added 11 points and eight rebounds.

Rensselaer dominated the boards – out-rebounding Stevens by a 55-24 margin. The Red Hawks shot 44.6 percent from the floor and held Stevens to 39.3 percent for the game.