ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Union College ended the game on an 8-0 run to provide the 14th and final lead change of the evening as the Dutchmen improved to 4-1 in Liberty League play with a 78-74 victory over Rochester Institute of Technology on Friday night at Clark Gymnasium.
 
Six players had at least nine points for Union (7-4, 4-1 Liberty League), led by senior Mike Manley with a game-high 20 points in 37 minutes. Classmate Brian Noone added 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals, while senior Chris Lovisolo and sophomore Edward Baptiste chipped in 10 points each and Lovisolo grabbed a team-best seven rebounds as well.
 
Neither team created any meaningful separation during the first half, with the lead growing no larger than five points for either side. Junior Justin Regis scored seven of Union's first 11 points to keep Union close, then the Dutchmen used a 9-0 run to take the largest lead of the half up 20-15 with 11:25 to go on a Manley three. The visitors maintained their lead for the next eight minutes before RIT (3-6, 1-2 Liberty League) used a 15-7 run over the final 4:27 to take a 40-36 lead into halftime.
 
Union shot 45.5 percent (15 of 33) from the field in the opening 20 minutes, but hit only 3-of-14 attempts from beyond the arc. RIT shot 53.8 percent (14 of 26) and also hit 9-of-10 attempts from the line.
 
The Tigers led by five early in the second half, but back-to-back threes from Manley and Lovisolo quickly started a 12-3 run that put the Dutchmen back on top at 51-47 with 13:26 remaining. A jumper by senior Temi George and a three by Noone increased the Union lead to six (59-53) soon after, but the Tigers remained within striking distance.
 
RIT managed to knot the score at 65 and the teams then went over three minutes without a field goal, with both teams settling for two free throws each. Kevin Ryan put RIT back up with a jumper, but Manley came back with a long-range three to give Union a 70-69 lead with 2:06 on the clock.
 
Five straight points put RIT in a good spot up 74-70 with 1:36 left, but it was all Union from there. Manley hit a big jumper on the next possession to get within two and, after a good defensive possession, Lovisolo hit a huge bucket and was fouled for a three-point play with 24 seconds remaining to put the Dutchmen ahead for good. The Union defense held strong after that, and three free throws helped to seal the conference win.
 
The Dutchmen shot better from beyond the arc (6-of-16) in the second half to finish the game shooting 43.1 percent (28 of 65) from the field, while also making 15 trips to the charity stripe in the second stanza, hitting 10-of-15 attempts.
 
Union will finish off the weekend tomorrow with a Liberty League matchup at Hobart College beginning at 4 p.m. in Geneva.