Box Score SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Skidmore College men's basketball senior forward Connor Merrill hit the 1,000 career point mark with a game-high 15 points, leading the Thoroughbreds to a 63-37 Liberty League win against Bard, Friday night at the Williamson Sports Center.
 
The Thoroughbreds move to 6-5 overall and 3-0 in the Liberty League, while the Raptors go to 6-5 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
 
Merrill got a hook shot to fall with 4:32 to play in the first half to reach the mark. He becomes the 15th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau and currently ranks 14th on Skidmore's all-time scoring list with 1,007 points. He also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds and added four blocks.
 
Erik Sanders added 10 points and five rebounds for Skidmore and Royce Paris chipped in with 10 points off the bench.
 
Bard took its first and only lead of the contest just over four minutes into the contest as Harry Johnson buried a three from the wing, giving the Raptors a 7-5 lead. Skidmore responded with a 22-5 run to take a 29-16 lead into the half.
 
The second half proved to be more of the same, as the Thoroughbreds opened the frame with a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 20. Bard cut the deficit to 14 after a Pat Kelly 3-pointer and a pair of Brandon Cunningham free throws, but that is as close as they would get. Erik Sanders scored three the hard way following an Aldin Medunjanin 3-pointer to give Skidmore a 28-point lead with 7:45 to play. The Thoroughbreds kept pouring on the offense, rolling to a 63-37 win.
 
Skidmore held Bard to a season-low eight field goals and a 16.3% field goal percentage, while shooting 47.1% (24 for 51) from the field, including 58.3%  (14 for 24) in the second half. The Thoroughbreds owned a 46-30 edge in rebounds a 24-10 advantage in bench points.

"I want to first congratulate Connor Merrill on reaching the 1000-point milestone," said Skidmore head coach Joe Burke. "We don't talk much about individual accolades, but it's important to honor a kid that has been so committed and has made such a huge impact over four years. I am so happy for him and his parents. The fact that he did it on his home court makes it extra special.
 
"Tonight, I thought we did a tremendous job on the defensive end. I have a ton of respect for what Coach Turner and for what the Bard program has become. They are going to win a lot of basketball games and we needed to play well.  Our attention to detail defensively was consistent for 40 minutes and as the game wore on our offense eventually found a rhythm. 
 
"We have a long way to go. We just have to continue to improve. RPI will be a tough challenge on the road tomorrow."

Skidmore makes the short trip to take on RPI Saturday, Jan. 10 for a 4 p.m. tip-off.