Saratoga Springs, N.Y.--  Vassar College senior forward Lawrence Avitabile (Southington, Conn.) scored 21 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the Brewers to a 74-58 Liberty League men's basketball win over Skidmore, Friday at the Sports and Recreation Center.

The win keeps Vassar in playoff contention with a 6-4 league and 15-5 overall record.  Skidmore falls to 1-10 and 6-16.

The Brewers opened a 16-point lead, 24-8 in the game's first 10 minutes.  Avitabile scored 10 his team's first 15 points.  The Thoroughbreds battled back to within eight, 35-27 on a Jon Douglas (Shutesbury, Mass.) lay-up with 1:01 to play in the first half, but the Brewers countered with a three-pointer by Matt Nunn (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.) to take a 38-27 lead at the half.

In the second half, Vassar maintained a double digit lead, not allowing Skidmore to get any closer than 10.

Freshman Jeff Altimar  (Medfield, Mass.) led the Thoroughbreds with 14 points.  Douglas finished with 12 points and a team-high five rebounds.  Ryan Fischer-Werner (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had nine points and five assists.

Nunn and Joe Davis (East Amherst, N.Y.) joined Avitabile in double figures with 10 points each for Vassar.  The Brewers out rebounded Skidmore, 42-28 and scored 22 second chance points.

Skidmore will close out its home schedule on Saturday at 4 p.m. against RPI.  Vassar travels to Union for a 4 p.m. start.