HARTFORD, Conn. – The third-ranked Trinity College Men's Basketball team shook off a slow start to defeat visiting SUNY-Geneseo, 72-44, in the opening game of the 2024 Trinity College Men's Basketball Holiday Tournament, hosted by Trinity Monday evening. The Bantams improve to 10-0 on the season, while the Knights slide to 3-4 overall.
 
Trinity junior Henry Vetter led all scorers with a game-high 25 points, shooting 8-of-13 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, with five rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Sophomore Jared Berry netted 10 points with a team-high three assists and a team-high three steals off the bench, while junior Jarrel Okorougo grabbed a team-high seven rebounds with seven points.
 
Sophomore Robert Perocolosi paced the Knights with a team-high 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Sophomore Josh Garelle added eight points with six rebounds, while first-year James Burton chipped in six points and eight rebounds off the bench.
 
The Knights grabbed a 6-0 lead out of the gates, and then a pair of jumpers from Garelle helped Geneseo maintain a 10-7 edge. The Bantams gained control with a 6-2 run, followed by a three-point play from Vetter to possess a 16-12 lead with 6:38 remaining in the first half. Trinity created separation behind a trio of three-pointers from Vetter to take a 27-19 lead into halftime.
 
The Bantams outscored the Knights, 45-25, in the second half. Geneseo trimmed the deficit to 29-21 in the opening minutes, but Trinity rattled off a 16-6 run, featuring five points from junior Drew Lazarre, to build a 45-27 advantage with 13:44 to play. The Bantams put the Knights away from long range as Vetter, Berry, senior Sean Macarchuk and sophomore Paul Ippolito connected from behind the arc as the lead swelled to 64-38 at the 7:54 mark. Okorougo, Ippolito and junior Alex Douglas chipped in buckets down the stretch to send Trinity to the 72-44 lead.
 
The Knights outrebounded the Bantams, 34-28, while Trinity controlled points in the paint, 26-22, and bench points, 26-10. The Bantams connected on 25-of-58 (43.1%) from the floor, including 12-of-27 (44.4%) from three-point range, and 10-of-13 (76.9%) from the foul line. SUNY-Geneseo shot 16-of-48 (33.3%) from the floor, 3-of-13 (23.1%) from long range and 9-of-10 (90%) from the free throw stripe.
 
The Bantams will return to the court when they host Suffolk University (7-2) in the Championship Game Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. SUNY-Geneseo will face #15 WPI in the Consolation Game at Noon.