NORTHFIELD, Vt. -- The Bridgewater State University men's basketball team dropped an 80-65 decision to RPI in the semifinals of the 2016 Ed Hockenbury Classic hosted by Norwich University on Saturday evening.
RPI will face host Norwich in the tournament title game on Sunday afternoon at three, while Bridgewater State will take on the University of Maine at Augusta in the consolation game at one.
Sophomore forward Andreas Kontopidis (Sherborn, Mass.) paced RPI with a game-high 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting. Kontopidis added six rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Three others joined Kontopidis in double-digit scoring, including senior forward Brian Hatcher (Danbury, Conn.) who scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds in 24 minutes of action before fouling out. Senior guard Jonathan Luster (Essex, Conn.) added ten points, six boards, four assists and three steals, while junior guard Asa Barnhill (Gloversville, N.Y.) came off the bench to notch ten points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Senior guard Fawaz Mass (Taunton, Mass.) scored a game high 24 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead the Bears. Mass was 7-for-16 from the floor and 10-for-12 at the free throw line. Senior guard Keyon Armstrong (Brockton, Mass.) and freshman forward Rayshon Ward (Plymouth, Mass.) each tallied ten points off the bench. Ward also recorded five rebounds and a pair of steals.
Possessing a 39-33 halftime lead, RPI allowed the first basket of the second half but went on to score the game's next 18 points to capture a commanding 57-35 lead. The Engineers knocked down four trifectas during the game-changing 18-0 run including two by Hatcher and one each by Luster and Kontopidis.
The Bears would cut the Engineers' lead to 13 points on two separate occasions the rest of the way but were unable to get any closer.
RPI shot 57% (26-46) from the floor, 47% (9-19) from behind the arc and 76% (19-25) at the free throw line. The Engineers also held the Bears to 34% (22-65) shooting including just 6-for-28 (21%) from three-point range.