Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart guard Stefan Thompson scored a game-high 23 points to lead top-seeded Hobart College to a 77-72 victory over fourth-seeded Skidmore College in the semifinals of the Liberty League Championship Tournament.

The Statesmen shot 58.7 percent from the floor and weathered a 3-point barrage from the Thoroughbreds to return to the title game for the second year in a row.

Hobart secured its third consecutive 20-win season, improving to 20-6 with the victory. The Statesmen connected on 27-of-46 shots (58.7%), including five 3-pointers, and went 18-of-23 at the free throw line.

Skidmore slips to 15-11 after making 24-of-50 shots (48%). The Thoroughbreds made half of their 22 3-point tries and missed only one of 14 free throw attempts.

Four Skidmore players reached double digits led by first-year Tanner Brooks' 22 points. He was 8-of-15 from the floor with four 3-pointers. Classmate Aldin Medunjanin added 21 points on 6-of-13 shooting with two 3s and a 7-of-8 effort at the line. He also handed out a game-high eight assists. Sophomore Connor Merrill and senior Sakhile Sithole each contributed 12 points.

Thompson was 8-of-17 with a pair of triples and dished out a team-high five assists. He was joined in double figures by junior Joe Gibbons, sophomore Connor Rehbaum, and senior Rezin Davis. 

Hobart built an eight-point lead early in the game, only to have Skidmore use a 13-4 run to take a 22-21 lead. Sithole sandwiched a pair of treys around a 3 from Brooks to spark the surge. An 11-2 run by Hobart, jump-started by a pair of long range baskets from Davis, gave the home team the largest lead of the game, 38-29, with 2:12 left in the opening half. Brooks scored five of the half's final seven points, leaving the Statesmen a 40-34 halftime lead.

The Thoroughbreds opened the second half on a 10-4 run that tied the game at 44-all with 15:49 remaining. From that point on, neither team led by more than five points. A traditional three-point play by Sithole with 3:25 left put Skidmore in front 65-64. Eighteen seconds later, Gibbons stepped to the line and made two shots to put Hobart back in front for good.

After Brooks misfired on a triple, senior Sean Peer grabbed the rebound leading to a layup by junior Richie Bonney for a 68-65 lead. Medunjanin sank two free throws at the 2:04 mark to make it a 1-point game. Rehbaum missed a 3 for Hobart and junior Eli Johnston grabbed the rebound for Skidmore. Merrill missed a layup that would have put his team in front at the 1:21 mark. It was the final look at the basket the visitor's got with a chance to take the lead.

Rehbaum's old fashion 3-point play with 46.4 seconds left put the Statesmen up four, 71-67. From there, Hobart closed out the win by making its final six free throws, two by Thompson and the final four by Gibbons.

"Extremely hard fought game, I was really proud of our effort and execution," said Skidmore coach Joe Burke. "I thought we didn't get a couple of breaks late and Hobart made some critical plays down the stretch. It was a game that could have gone either way but you have to tip your hat to the opponent.

"I am extremely proud of this group. We lost our top 5 scorers from last year and we welcomed eight new players to a fifteen man roster. Although we came up short of  a 3-peat, I really feel great about where we are and what we were able to accomplish. All this is a credit to upperclass leadership and some very talented young guys. The future continues to be bright for Skidmore basketball."

The Statesmen will attempt to win their first conference tournament championship since 2001, on Saturday, Feb. 23, when Hobart hosts third-seeded Rensselaer (17-9).  The Engineers advanced to the championship game by upsetting No. 2 Union 85-77.