Junior Aidan Rodgers made a strong bid for a triple-double while leading the undefeated Hobart College basketball team to a 70-58 win over Immaculata University in the Florida Sunshine Shootout this afternoon. Rodgers finished the contest with game-highs of 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Rodgers was one of four Statesmen in double figures. First-year Alex Moesch contributed 14 points, including 11 in the second half. He was 4-of-7 from 3-point range. Senior Isaiah Washington also scored 14 points, including nine after halftime. Junior Carter Meshanic posted his seventh double digit effort in the past eight games, logging 13 points.
John Proctor posted a team-high 14 points for the Mighty Macs. Dylan Crews chipped in 13 points, going 6-of-9 from the floor. Tyler Tillery grabbed a team-high eight rebounds to go with seven points for IU.
COACH’S CORNER
“Our program is thankful to be able to travel out of the region to compete in the Florida Sunshine Shootout. Today we showed great toughness and played better as the game progressed. We continue to improve game to game which we put a huge value on as a program.”
–Head Coach Stefan Thompson ’13
KEY STATS
- Both teams took 58 shots from the floor. Hobart connected on 48% while holding Immaculata to 38% shooting.
- The Statesmen sank seven shots from beyond the arc, one off their season-high.
- For the first time this season, Hobart’s opponent made more trips to the free throw line than the Statesmen. Immaculata earned 14 free throws to just eight for Hobart, but the Purple and Orange negated the advantage, making seven (.875) while the Mighty Macs managed to convert just eight (.571).
FIRST HALF
- A 12-0 Hobart run early in the contests, staked the Statesmen to a 21-7 lead.
- The Mighty Macs countered with a 24-5 run that gave them a five-point lead with two minutes remaining in the half.
- First-year Dorian Paki’s layup accounted for the final points of the first half, sending Hobart into the break facing a 3-point deficit, 31-28.
- Rodgers led the Statesmen with eight points, four rebounds and three assists in the opening 20 minutes.
- Proctor was the high man for Immaculata with nine points.
TURNING POINT
- The Mighty Macs led 35-32 early in the second half, but Hobart seized the lead with nine straight points. Washington accounted for the final five points in the run, including a traditional 3-point play, that put the Statesmen in front 41-35.
- Hobart led 44-41 with under 13 minutes to play when IU’s Tim Schultice was assessed a technical foul.
- Rodgers made both free throws and then drilled a 3-pointer to stretch Hobart’s lead to 49-41. The Might Macs trailed by at least two possessions for the remainder of the game.
- Proctor’s 3-pointer near the five-minute mark pulled Immaculata within five, but Washington and Moesch made back-to-back buckets to quell the threat.
FOR THE RECORD
- Hobart extended its program record season-opening win streak to nine games.
- Immaculata fell to 7-4.
OCEAN CENTER FINALE
- The Statesmen will wrap up their stay in the Sunshine State against St. Scholastica Friday, Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. The Saints carried a 1-7 record into their game against Ramapo which tipped off following the Hobart-Immaculata game.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].