Box Score Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – The Skidmore College men's basketball team clinched the 2
nd seed in next week's Liberty League Tournament with Saturday afternoon's 75-63 win over Union at the Williamson Sports Center. With the win, the Thoroughbreds will host St. Lawrence on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a semifinal matchup.
Skidmore closes out the regular season with a 17-8 overall record and 11-5 league record, setting a program record for league wins for the third consecutive season. The Dutchmen fall to 16-8 overall, 9-7 in league play and will travel to top seed Hobart on Wednesday for the other semifinal matchup.
The teams played close through much of the first half with the Thoroughbreds holding the lead for the majority of the half. Skidmore led by as many as 10 after an alley-oop to
Melvis Langyintuo set off a standing room only crowd. Union was able to trim the lead but the Thoroughbreds to a 28-23 lead into the break.
The second half was much of the same as the teams continued to trade baskets and the Dutchmen chipped away at the lead and took their own lead after a pair of free throws from Terell Winney with 6:10 remaining. But Skidmore responded and closed the game on an 19-6 run highlighted by five threes, including three unanswered from
Connor Merrill,
Gerard O'Shea and Langyintuo as the Thoroughbreds earned the 75-63 point victory.
Langyintuo finished with a game-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. O'Shea added 12 points, five steals and four assists and
Brian Lowry chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds.
John Mantas and
Connor Merrill added seven apiece off the bench.
Rusmir Dzanko led four Union players in double figures with 16, while Keven Donohue tallied a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Evan Croll and Joe Mason finished with 11 apiece.
