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The No. 25 men's basketball team entered Sunday with a chance to tie the No. 1 University of Rochester atop the University Athletic Association standings. 
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After falling behind by 12 points at halftime, the Judges came roaring back to cut the lead to one point, but they could not overtake the YellowJackets, ultimately falling 66-59 at Red Auerbach Arena. 
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With the loss, the Judges fall to 15-5 (6-3 UAA).
On Friday, the host Judges defeated Emory University, 72-67. Forward Alex Stoyle '14 recorded career-highs of 27 points and 13 rebounds, including four 3-pointers. He knocked down big shots down the stretch to lead the Judges past the Eagles.
Stoyle, who plays in the post, has been knocking down his 3-pointers recently and is shooting 40.4 percent from beyond the arc this season. He shot just 27.8 percent and took just 18 3-pointers last season.
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"I have felt much more confident lately shooting the ball and haven't been thinking too much about my shooting and my shots have just been going in," Stoyle said. "Once in a while, [guard] Derek [Retos '14] will give me a tip or two which I think helps a lot as well.
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"It's easy to take shooting advice from a guy when he's one of the best shooters in the country."
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The Judges traveled to Emory and Rochester a week ago before facing them again last weekend. However, guard Ben Bartoldus '14 doesn't think that had any effect on the team's play.
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"I don't think it affects the game when we go back-to-back weekends," he said. "However, our mentality coming into home games is amped because we get to play in front of our great fans and student support."
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The game against Rochester began slowly, as the teams traded turnovers and played sluggishly out of the gate. 
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Stoyle picked up his second foul at the 14 minute, 38 second mark and took a seat next to coach Brian Meehan for the rest of the half. The precaution was done to ensure that he would not put himself in foul trouble early-however, it had a negative impact on the game. After he was substituted, Rochester outscored the Judges 26-13 and took a 32-20 lead into the halfway point.
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The first 10 minutes of the second half mirrored the first. The Judges traded baskets with Rochester, but the YellowJackets controlled the pace, as they ran their offense scheme through senior guard John DiBartolomeo. 
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With 10:26 left in the game, Rochester held a 48-34 lead and, given its first half dominance, the YellowJackets looked as if they would cruise to an easy victory.
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However, it wouldn't be that straightforward for them. Meehan called a timeout, which resulted in the Judes beginning their frantic run to get back into the game. Retos nailed a 3-pointer right out of the timeout in an attempt to regain momentum. 
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Five minutes later, Stoyle capped off a 17 to four run with a jumper, resulting in a 52-51 Rochester lead with 5:35 to go in the game.
The teams traded baskets over the next minute, but DiBartolomeo was too good down the stretch. He scored 11 of Rochester's final 14 points over the last five minutes of the game, outscoring the Judges 11-8 over that stretch. His steal and subsequent layup with three minutes left was the key momentum shifter for Rochester.
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DiBartolomeo led Rochester with 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Rochester's offense ran through him and his play was crucial throughout the game for the YellowJackets.
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Bartoldus lauded DiBartolomeo's play despite the Judges' efforts to limit his effectiveness on offense.
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"We had a certain scheme that we executed well, however, it had multiple flaws at certain points," he said. "You have to give [DiBartolomeo] credit, he is in the running for [UAA Player of the Year], that speaks for itself for his game."
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Guard Gabriel Moton '14 led the Judges with 17 points. Stoyle contributed 15 points and nine rebounds, with 15 points and seven rebounds coming in the second half. He played all 20 minutes of the half.
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Last Friday against Emory, the Judges also got off to a lethargic start. They fell behind eight to two early and it looked like the game would be similar to last week's game against the same opponents.
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The Judges turned the game around, however, backed by Stoyle's nine points and seven rebounds in the first 10 minutes. He finished the half with 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. The Judges entered halftime with a 29-26 lead.
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The second half featured much more scoring and a faster tempo. The Judges fell behind, 46-45, with 9:11 to go. 
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Center Youri Dacy's '14 jump hook fell through on the next possession and the Judges never looked back. Dascy, Bartoldus, Stoyle and Moton's six free throws combined to score the Judges' final 27 points, and Stoyle's and Dascy's stellar defense fueled the Judges victory. 
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Stoyle led the way with his 27 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Dascy scored 15 points, with 13 of those coming in the second half. Bartoldus contributed 20 points, his second straight 20-point game. 
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"The team has confidence in me," Bartoldus said. "Lately, I think things have just been clicking, that's all."
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The Judges next play on Friday night at Carnegie Mellon University at 8 p.m.