TROY N.Y.Down by nine with 8:57 left to play, Rensselaer used the bulk and rebounding of senior Jared Hite and the scoring of junior John Van Schaick to outscore Union 24-8 down the stretch and hand the Dutchmen a crippling 71-64 loss in the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association"s regular-season finale for both teams.

According to scenarios sent out of the conference office prior to the start of the day"s competition, the loss knocked the Dutchmen out of next weekend"s four-team UCAA postseason championship tournament while Rensselaer will wind up seeded second and play No. 3 St. Lawrence, which beat Hobart, 93-69, in the first round. Hamilton, a 97-73 winner over Clarkson, will host the event. The Red Hawks end the regular-season with an overall record of 15-9 and a conference standard of 9-5.

Van Schaick contributed 10 of his 13 points during the last 8:57 of the game while Hite, who had six markers and numerous rebounds on both ends of the court, used his 6"7 frame to shut down the Dutchmen"s offense.

Down 56-47 after Union"s Devon Bruce connected on a jumper, Van Schaick"s three-point basket started the game-winning rally and Hite"s basket with 3:40 left gave the Red Hawks the lead, 59-58, for good. Van Schaick"s two free throws and three-point basket gave Rensselaer a 64-68 advantage and, after Union"s John Cagianello"s three-point basket brought the Dutchmen back to within three, 64-61 with 1:42 left, Hite started a 7-0 run that left the Red Hawks holding a 71-61 advantage with 10 seconds left.

The loss provided Union with a bittersweet ending. The Dutchmen, who completed their sixth-consecutive winning season by finishing at 18-7, ended their UCAA season at 8-6, one game short of qualifying for the postseason event.

A 9-1 run by the Red Hawks midway through the second half erased the Dutchmen"s 40-31 halftime advantage and brought the Cherry and White back to within three, 49-46, with 11:14 to play. Jared Hite scored the run"s first five points on back-to-back layups and a free throw before Matt Zepernick converted a layup and Kori Massey connected on a jumper.

Union came right back with the game"s next five points as Chris Murphy hit a jumper and Devon Bruce connected on a long three-point basket as the Dutchmen carried a 54-46 lead into the game"s final 10:19.

Cagianello opened the game by putting on a shooting clinic. The Wethersfield, Connecticut, native connected scored 16 of the Dutchmen"s 32 points by connecting on six of his 10 field goal attempts, including a four-of-six performance from three-point range. His efforts gave the Dutchmen an 11-point lead, 32-21, with 6:20 left.

A three-point field goal by T.J. Ramey with 3:19 left gave the Dutchmen a 25-23 advantage before field goals by Matt Zepernick and Paris Moore, plus a foul shot by Moore, brought the Red Hawks back to within seven, 35-28, with 1:49 showing.

Union took a 40-31 lead into the break as Chris Murphy scored off an offensive rebound and Devon Bruce connected on a three-point shot to offset the long three-point field goal by RPI"s John Van Schaick with 18 seconds remaining.

Cagianello finished with a game-high 25 points while Bruce had 19 and Chris Murhpy 10. Rensselaer was led by Hite, who had 22 markers, Matt Zepernick, who had 14, Van Schaick, and Paris Moore, who contributed 11 points.