SVC Edges Out RPI
RENSSELAER, N.Y. - The Southern Vermont College men's basketball
team used a decisive second-half run to defeat host Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute on Thursday, 75-73. SVC entered the game 2-12
all-time against RPI, and had never won at Robison Gym.
The Mountaineers (2-4) trailed 62-61 with 6:18 remaining in the
game, but made their game-changing 10-2 run by converting a steal
by Joe Karnik (11 points, seven rebounds) into points the other way
and taking three key charges on the defensive end. The biggest of
the charges was drawn by freshman forward Ben Naaktgeboren to stop
a 3-on-1 opportunity by the Red Hawks.
"Something clicked," SVC head coach Mike McDonough said of the
decisive spurt. "We keyed [the run] with our defense, and got some
good production off the bench during it."
SVC's Lance Spratling led all scorers with 19 points, and added
nine rebounds. Teammate Deandre Kennedy-Ebron posted a
double-double with 13 points and 17 rebounds. McDonough praised
reserve center Cam Herrington (11 points, six rebounds) for
providing "a strong presence" that SVC needed, and for "pulling
down a couple of key rebounds, making some put-backs and drawing
some charges."
The Mountaineers' next test will come on Saturday, Dec. 13, at
St.Joseph's in Brooklyn, N.Y., at 7 p.m.
