RCTC Game Recap – At Riverland (Jan. 31, 2026)

Despite a strong opening half and several standout individual performances, Rochester Community and Technical College came up short on the road Saturday, falling 75–61 to conference undefeated Riverland Community College. The Yellowjackets battled throughout, staying within striking distance for much of the afternoon, but a cold stretch in the second half and Riverland's efficiency inside ultimately tilted the outcome.

RCTC came out with energy, trading baskets throughout a competitive first half. Carson Brown provided the early spark, attacking the rim and knocking down three shots from deep on his way to a team‑high 19 points. His aggressiveness helped the Yellowjackets keep pace with Riverland, who carried a narrow 39–37 lead into halftime. John Johnson added a consistent interior presence, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds while playing a team‑high 38 minutes.

The Yellowjackets' ball movement early kept the offense steady. Guards Armoni Dishinger‑Harris and Sam Hemery each contributed five points, with Dishinger‑Harris dishing out four assists and collecting two steals. RCTC also saw important minutes from Brandon Wilson off the bench, who added nine points on 3‑of‑7 shooting, including a three-pointer that halted a Riverland scoring burst late in the first half.

Defensively, RCTC forced 15 turnovers and generated 10 steals, showing the ability to disrupt Riverland's rhythm. Brown and Johnson led that effort with a combined five steals, helping the Yellowjackets stay within range whenever Riverland threatened to pull away. However, Riverland countered with extremely efficient shooting from the field, finishing the night at 50.9%. Much of that came from standout forward Joe Poyser, who scored 26 points on a near‑perfect 11‑for‑12 shooting performance.

In the second half, the game slowly slipped away from RCTC as Riverland used an improved rebounding presence and aggressive drives to build separation. While RCTC held its own on the glass overall (33–31 advantage), Riverland's ability to convert high‑percentage looks made it difficult for the Yellowjackets to string together the stops they needed. The Blue Devils outscored RCTC 36–24 in the final 20 minutes.

Offensively, the Yellowjackets couldn't match their first‑half efficiency. After shooting just over 40% in the game and 35% from beyond the arc, RCTC struggled to consistently generate scoring in the half-court. Only five free‑throw attempts were converted throughout the contest, limiting opportunities to close the gap when shots weren't falling.

The Jackets next travel to St. Cloud on Wednesday for a rematch of their thrilling 81-79 win at the Mayo Civic Center in early January.  RCTC will then step out of conerefence play for a home game against DCTC on Saturday, with tip-off at 2:00pm.