St. Lawrence University senior Janpeter Brase had team-highs in both points and rebounds with 14 and seven, respectively, on Saturday against RIT in the Burkman Gymnasium. Though the Saints built an eight point lead in the second half, the Tigers closed on a 14-1 run including the game-winning three pointer from Jameel Balenton in the final minute as RIT rallied for a 70-65 Liberty League victory.

The Tigers improve to 11-6 (5-3) and were led offensively by J.P. Reagan, who had 14 of his 18 points in the first half. Despite being outrebounded (34-29) and committing 17 turnovers, the Tigers shot 51% from the field and 86% (12-of-14) from the free throw line to earn the comeback win. St. Lawrence (6-11, 2-6) also had double-digit offensive outings from Brady Condlin (12) and Kieran Miller (10), but managed to shoot only 57% from the free throw line (17-of-30) which proved to be costly down the stretch.

The Tigers seized the early momentum in the first half, opening up a 12-4 lead in the opening minutes capped by a dunk from Reagan that forced a St. Lawrence timeout. The Saints would chip away at the lead and made it a three point game (19-16) off a three pointer from rookie Kyle Edwards with 11:32 left in the period.

St. Lawrence was unable to pull even in the first half, but answered each RIT run with one of its own, including an 11-4 run to end the opening stanza. Kyle Kobis and Edwards added buckets down the stretch to keep the home team within three, 41-38, at intermission despite RIT shooting 63% from the floor.

The Saints came out in the second half and attacked the interior, as Brase earned three straight lay-ups to open up a four-point lead, 47-43. Payton Stahler helped St. Lawrence open up its largest lead of the game, 60-51, on an and-1 play with a foul called against Kamron Davis.

A lay-up by Condlin with 5:28 left gave the Saints a 64-56 lead. Unfortunately, that would be the last field goal made by the Scarlet and Brown, as RIT's Brendan Reinert earned three consecutive lay-ups to tie the score at 64-64 with 2:55 to go. Reinert put the Tigers on the next possession going 1-of-2 at the free throw line, but Brase matched his efforts, tying the score at 65-65 with :51 seconds remaining.

With the shot clock winding down on what could have been RIT's final possession, Balenton connected on a three from well behind the arc that put the Tigers up 68-65. St. Lawrence came back down the floor as Condlin went to the basket, but his lay-in try missed and no call was made, forcing the Saints to send Reagan to the line for a 1-and-1 with :06 seconds left. He knocked down both, icing the comeback victory for RIT, 70-65.

St. Lawrence will be in action again next weekend, kicking off back-to-back conference games on Friday, February 7 when it hosts Union College at 8:00pm.