Skidmore College defeated Hobart College 75-64 in a Liberty League men’s basketball game played in Bristol Gymnasium this afternoon. The Statesmen trailed by just five with about two minutes to play, but the Thoroughbreds made their free throws down the stretch to hold on to the win.
Hobart put three players in double digits led by Jackson Meshanic’s 19 points and game-high 12 rebounds. He was 8-of-14 shooting on the way to his sixth double-double of the season. Patrick Walker and Carter Meshanic added 16 points and 14 points, respectively, off the bench for the Statesmen. Both Walker and Carter Meshanic were 6-of-9 shooting from the field on their way to career-high scoring efforts. Hobart shot 41.7% from the floor, but struggled behind the 3-point arc, making just 2-of-25. The Statesmen had a 39-34 rebounding edge.
Skidmore also had three players in double figures with Tautvydas Kupstas leading all scorers with 24 points. He connected on 7-of-11 shots with three 3-pointers and went 7-of-8 from the line. Riley Greene and Ty Lamport chipped in 19 points and 12 points, respectively. Lamport also grabbed a team-high nine boards. The Thoroughbreds shot 45.8%, making 6-of-23 from deep, while going 15-of-21 at the free throw line.
The first half was tightly contested with neither team able to gain much of an advantage until late in the frame. After Carter Meshanic made a driving layup to give the Statesmen a 24-22 lead with six and a half minutes remaining, the Thoroughbreds rattled off 11 straight points, including five in a row at the free throw line by Kupstas. The surge gave the visitors a 33-24 lead with under three minutes to go to halftime.
Hobart trimmed its deficit to 35-29 going into the break. Jackson Meshanic led all scorers with 13 first half points, while Kupstas had 12 points to pace Skidmore.
The Thoroughbreds kept the lead throughout the second half, leading by as many as 14. Following a layup by Jackson Meshanic near the 13-minute mark, Hobart trailed 44-37, but Skidmore countered with a 9-2 that stretch their advantage to 53-39. Kupstas started the push with a mid-range jumper followed by a 3-pointer. Pat Healy made a pair of free throws for Hobart at 12:24, but then Greene scored a pair of driving layups to complete the run.
With Skidmore up 11 as the game clock ticked under three minutes, Hobart made a late drive to get back in the game. Carter Meshanic made a 3-pointer from the wing to make it an eight-point game. Walker stole the inbounds pass and was fouled as he attempted a layup. He made the front end to cut the Skidmore lead to 65-58. The Thoroughbreds misfired on their ensuing possession and Walker converted a short hook shot to get the Statesmen within five, 65-60, with two minutes remaining.
Greene converted an old fashion 3-point play to put Skidmore up eight and from that point on, the Thoroughbreds made the shots they needed to close out the victory. Skidmore was 2-for-2 from the field and 6-of-7 at the line in the final two minutes.
Hobart (4-8, 1-4) begins a three-game road trip at Clarkson on Friday, Jan. 21. The Statesmen and Golden Knights are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. in Alumni Gymnasium.
Skidmore (6-4, 2-2) will play the middle game of a three-game road trip on Friday, visiting Ithaca for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
—
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].