2014 Liberty League Men's Basketball Tournament Central

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- The Skidmore College men's basketball team begins its quest for the program's third conference title in four years at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26 when it travels to second-seeded Vassar College for a Liberty League semifinal matchup.
 
Game Details
Opponent: Vassar Brewers (18-7, 10-6 Liberty)
Date: Feb. 26, 2014, 8 p.m.
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The Thoroughbreds went 7-2 over their final nine contests, closing out the regular season with an overall record of 16-9, including a 10-6 conference mark. Erik Sanders tallied a season-high 28 points in Skidmore's 84-68 at Union College on Friday and Tanner Brooks poured in a career-high 38 points in a 91-87 loss against RIT on Saturday. Brooks went 7-of-10 from three-point range and a perfect 9-9 from the free-throw line.
 
Sanders ranks fourth in the conference in steals (40), fifth in field goal percentage (.495), sixth in scoring (15.8 ppg) and 10th in rebounds per game (6.0). Brooks is seventh in the Liberty League in three-point field goal percentage (.351) and third in steals (41).
 
Skidmore has been a defensive force all season, ranking third in the league in scoring defense and second in field goal defense. The Thoroughbreds 29.7 defensive rebounds per game places them fifth nationally and their 5.2 blocked shots per game ranks them 11th in Division III.
 
Vassar notched wins in both regular season matchups between the two teams. The Brewers, who posted a 9-2 home record this season, possess the league's top scoring defense, holding opponents to 67.2 points per game on 29-percent shooting. They also have one of the league's most efficient offenses, shooting a conference-best 48-percent from the field.
 
Johnny Mrlik has been the offensive catalyst for Vassar, ranking fourth in the league in scoring (18.8 ppg), first in 3-point field goals per game (2.9) and third in 3-point field goal percentage (.387). Alex Snyder has been another key contributor for the Brewers, averaging 10.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest.
 
Last Meeting: Feb. 14, 2014 at Vassar, L 71-67
 
Tanner Brooks knocked down a deep-three to pull the Thoroughbreds within one in the final minute, but Johnny Mrlik countered with a clutch three in the closing seconds, securing the win for the Brewers. Aldin Medunjanin led Skidmore with 18 points, and Mrlik tallied a game high 22 points. The loss snapped the Thoroughbreds five-game winning streak.
 

The winner of Wednesday matchup takes on the winner of #1 Hobart College vs. #4 Clarkson University Saturday, Mar. 1.