Box Score SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- The Skidmore College men's basketball team led until the final seconds, but it could not hold on, suffering a 96-95 loss against RPI in a conference matchup, Friday night at the Williamson Sports Center.
 
With the Thoroughbreds leading 95-93 with 12 seconds to play, Tyler Gendron secured a rebound after a missed Skidmore free-throw and found Nick Keefe who nailed a deep three at the buzzer to seal the 96-95 win for the Engineers.
 
All five of Skidmore's starters scored in double figures, as Erik Sanders scored a game-high 22 points, Perun Kovacevic added 21 points and six rebounds, Tanner Brooks contributed 14 points to go along with six assists and four rebounds, Connor Merrill had 13 points and nine rebounds and Aldin Medunjanin ended with 11 points, seven boards and six assists.
 
The Thoroughbreds got out to a double-digit lead early in the first, outscoring the Engineers 22-10 in the opening eight minutes. After cut the deficit to 30-25 with a 9-4 run capped by a Nick Keefe 3-pointer, Skidmore outscored RPI 20-9 over the final seven minutes of the first, taking a 50-36 lead into halftime.
 
The Engineers came out firing in the second, starting the half on a 15-2 run to take a 53-52 lead. Tyler Gendron scored eight of his 15 points during that stretch.
 
The two teams traded baskets over the next 10 minutes of the game, with the lead changing hands seven times. Kovacevic battled his way into the paint for a layup, giving Skidmore a 91-86 lead with just over a minute to play, but Reggie Colas hit a 3-pointer on RPI's ensuing possession to cut the lead to two.
 
Brooks put Skidmore ahead 95-91 with a pair of free-throws, but Keefe again brought RPI back within two with a quick score at the other end of the floor. The Engineers fouled quickly and after rebounding the missed free-throw, Gendron set up Keefe's late-game heroics.
 
Keefe led the Engineers with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting to go along with nine rebounds. Gendron chipped in with 15 points and Jesus Cardenas scored 10 points off the bench.
 
The Thoroughbreds shot 52.5-percent (32-61) from the field, while RPI finished at 37.8-percent (31-82). The Engineers went 9-of-17 from three-point range in the second half.

Skidmore hosts Union Saturday, Jan. 18 at 4 p.m.