Box Score Box Score
ROCHESTER, N.Y.—The University of Rochester outlasted Hobart 80-77 in the semifinals of the Wendy's College Classic men's basketball tournament. Senior forward
Matt Pebole and sophomore guard
Stefan Thompson shared game-high honors with 21 points apiece for the Statesmen.
Pebole also recorded a game-high three steals, while Thompson added a team-high five assists. Sophomore forward
Sean Peer chipped in nine points off the bench.
Mike Labanowski paced four Yellowjackets in double figures with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including three threes. He also had a game-high seven rebounds. David Gould and Nate Novosel added 15 points apiece, while Nate Vernon chipped in 11.
Rochester shot 58.3 percent from the floor, including 9-of-16 from three-point range, while Hobart hit on 46.8 percent of its shots (8-of-25 from behind the arc). The Yellowjackets also became the first team to outrebound the Statesmen this season, 31-28.
The game was tight throughout. The lead changed hands eight times and the score was tied on nine other occasions. The largest margin for either team was six points. Hobart (4-2) reached that mark with 3:57 left in the first half after a conventional three-point play by Peer and a layup by first-year guard
Trevor Short.
Labanowski knocked down two threes in the closing minutes of the half, the last with 3 seconds left in the period to bring Rochester (6-1) within 37-34. The Yellowjackets used a mini 9-2 run to start the second half, ignited by Labanowski's trey, to take a 43-39 lead 2:28 into the half.
Vernon's second straight three-pointer put Rochester up, 55-52. Hobart answered with an 11-2 spree: back-to-back three-pointers from Thompson, an old-fashioned three-point play from Pebole, and a layup by Marc Bruce. It was 63-57 midway through the period.
Two free throws from Thompson kept Hobart in front, 68-65. Rochester ran off eight points in the next three and a half minutes--layups by Labanowski and Gould, two free throws from Gould, and a jumper by Labanowski. It was 73-68 Rochester with 2:51 left.
Pebole hit two from the line and after
Adam Salzmann's layup, Hobart was within 74-72 with 56 seconds left.
Gould was whistled for an offensive foul trying to drive the lane with 32 seconds left. At the other end, Pebole's layup was blocked by Novosel and Gould collected the rebound. He was fouled immediately and sank both foul shots. Thompson made a layup with 12 seconds left and Gould answered with two free throws 10 seconds later.
Tim Llewellyn was off-target with a three. Novosel rebounded, drew the foul, and sank two free throws with three seconds left. That pushed the lead to six and Thompson ended it with a long three pointer as the final buzzer sounded.
Hobart will face Brockport, a 57-47 loser to Nazareth, in the third-place game of the Wendy's College Classic. The contest will tip off at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Roberts Wesleyan.
The Rochester Sports Information Office contributed to this story.
