MCLA men drop opening Tri-State game to RPI 110-100

North Adams, MA- Visiting RPI put up 67 second half points as they ran past the MCLA Trailblazers 110-100 Friday night in the opening round of the Tri State Shootout.  The Engineers were paced by Nick Keefe's game high 26 points as they improve to 1-5.  MCLA drops to 2-5 overall.

RPI advances to the championship round tomorrow at 4pm to play the winner of Southern Vermont and College of St. Joseph (VT).  MCLA will play the loser at 2pm tomorrow.

After the opening half was back and forth, RPI took control and never looked back in the final twenty minutes.  After MCLA scored the opening bucket, RPI rattled off six straight points to open up a 49-41 lead.  The Trailblazers would rally to tie the game for the last time at 56, however RPI gradually pulled away.

With RPI holding a slim 61-60 lead, they went on a 9-0 run fueled by three straight triples, including two from Keefe to grab a 70-60 advantage.  The lead would grow to 15 at 81-66 with 10:29 to play.  MCLA would get to within seven with a minute to play, however RPI held them off to grab their first victory.

The opening half saw eight lead changes and seven ties.  Neither team led by more than five points and following the seventh tie of the half at 37-37, RPI would close the period with a 6-1 spurt to grab a 43-38 halftime lead. 

MCLA struggled with the up tempo style of RPI committing 16 turnovers in the opening twenty minutes compared to just 6 for the Engineers.  Nick Keefe paced RPI with 11 first half points.  Jeremic Bennett collected 8 first half points for the Trailblazers.

Keefe was 9-16 including 5-9 from three point range for his 26 points.  Reggie Colas added 19 points, while Chase Almond had 14 points and 9 rebounds.  The Engineers shot 54% in the closing half and committed 22 turnovers.

MCLA placed five players in double figures led by John Jones' 24 points, 22 of which came after halftime.  Jeremic Bennett came off the bench to add 22 points.  Kraig Page finished with 13 points, while Paul Maurice had 11 and Ruben DelRosario ended with 10.

The Trailblazers were doomed by 26 costly turnovers.