The Hobart basketball team trailed RIT by as many as nine points in the second half, but rallied to score a 75-63 Liberty League win over the visiting Tigers in Bristol Gym tonight. Senior Pat Healy led the Statesmen with a game-high 19 points.
Healy was 5-of-11 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers and 7-of-10 at the free throw line. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out three assists. Classmate Aidan Rodgers added 11 points, four boards and three assists. First-year Monty Nedd gave Hobart a boost off the bench, scoring 10 points in just 12 minutes. Senior Carter Meshanicposted eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.
RIT had four players reached double digits led by senior Chase Dickens’ 17 points. Senior Josiah Turner added 12 points, senior Kenny Wilburn logged 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds, and sophomore Nolan Smith scored 10 points. Graduate student Matt Caggiano chipped in eight points and a game-high eight assists.
Box Score
FOR THE RECORD
- Hobart earned its fourth straight win and won for the eighth time in nine games to improve to 9-3 overall, 3-2 in the Liberty League.
- RIT slipped to 5-5 overall, 1-2 in conference play.
KEY STATS
- The Tigers made one more field goal (24) than the Statesmen (23), but Hobart had a clear advantage at the free throw line and from beyond the 3-point arc.
- Both teams attempted 27 free throws, but the Statesmen converted 20 into points while the Tigers only managed 14.
- Hobart had seven players connect from long range, contributing to a 9-for-28 effort from deep. RIT was just 5-of-16 from distance.
- Eighteen of Hobart’s 26 second half shots from the field came from deep.
- The Statesmen’s extra offense was created by a 39-30 advantage on the glass and a plus-4 turnover margin.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A back-and-forth first half featured five lead changes and seven ties.
- The Tigers ended the half on a 9-2 run, carrying a 32-30 lead into the break. Caggiano and Wilburn each scored four points in the surge.
- Six minutes into the second half, Smith scored on a driving layup to give RIT it’s biggest lead of the game, 48-39.
- Over the next five minutes, Hobart got hot from deep and rallied to retake the lead.
- Healy, Nedd, first-year Allen Mordi and junior Gabriel Bergeron made 3-pointers as the Statesmen outscored their guests 15-5 to take a 54-53 lead.
- Turner made a pair of free throws near the 8-minute mark to give the Tigers their final lead of the game.
- Hobart scored the next eight points of the game to take a six-point lead with four and a half minutes left.
- Down the stretch, RIT only got within a single possession once and never took a shot with a chance to tie or take the lead.
- The Statesmen were 11-of-14 at the free throw line in the final three minutes, icing the victory.
UP NEXT
- Hobart will be back in action Saturday, Jan. 11, welcoming Liberty League leader Ithaca (6-4, 3-0) to Bristol Gym. The opening tipoff is set for 4 p.m.
- RIT will also be back in action tomorrow at 4 p.m., visiting RPI (10-2, 4-1).
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].