WORCESTER, Mass. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team saw its 2024-25 season come to a close in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship as the Bombers fell to host and No. 19 Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), 79-71, on Saturday. Ithaca finishes its season with a 19-10 record.
It was a tight contest all night as there were four ties and 10 lead changes, but after the Engineers retook the lead at 42-39 early in the second half, the Bombers were never able to regain control. Ithaca trimmed its deficit down to three points at 54-51 midway through the second half, but WPI answered with a 10-2 run over the next four minutes to go ahead by 11 at 64-53, and it was tough for Ithaca to recover from there as the Engineers punched their ticket to the Round of 16 with the eight-point win, 79-71.
The Bombers went toe-to-toe with one of the best defensive teams in Division III during the opening 20 minutes and led by as many as six points, 24-18, after Jose Padilla scored back-to-back baskets with 8:31 to go. WPI responded with a 10-0 run over the next three-plus minutes to go back ahead, 28-24 and never surrendered the lead for the remainder of the half and went into the locker room with a 37-32 advantage.
Jaylon O'Neal was Ithaca's leading scorer on the night with 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor and 7-of-10 at the line. O'Neal also pulled down six rebounds. Logan Wendell added 16 points with four rebounds and four assists in his final collegiate game. Wendell finishes his career with 1,574 points.
Chris Leysath added 12 points and six boards, while Alex Penders tallied 13 points off the bench on four made 3-pointers.