SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Skidmore freshman Edvinas Rupkus calmly drove through two defenders on his way to scoring the winning basket with 3.2 seconds left in overtime to give the Thoroughbreds a 71-69 Liberty League win over Vassar College Saturday evening at the Williamson Center.
 
The win came in front of a standing room only Big Green Scream Crowd that stormed the court after the final horn.
 
Skidmore remains in a three-way tie for first in the Liberty League with a 14-8 overall and 9-5 league mark.  Vassar drops two games back at 11-12 and 7-7.
 
Rupkus shook off early foul trouble and a slow start to finish with a team-high 17 points to go along with eight rebounds, an assist and two steals. Erik Sanders scored 14 points and had five assists. Chas Ta scored 10 points and Royce Paris scored 11 off the bench, including eight key points in the second half. Marcus Jackson contributed eight points and five rebounds and a block.
 
Jesse Brown led three Vassar players in double figures with a game-high 22 points. He was 6-10 from three-point range. Paul Grinde hit for 20 points and Erikson Wasyl had a double/double with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
 
The Brewers relied heavily on their starting five, scoring just two bench points.
 
The game was back and forth the entire way with 16 lead changes and seven ties. Whenever Skidmore would attempt to open a three possession lead, the Brewers would answer with a clutch three from Grinde or Wasyl.  Neither team led by more than six points.
 
Vassar led 56-52 with 5:37 to play in regulation, when Skidmore went on a 7-0 run to take a 59-56 lead. Rupkus scored off an offensive rebound by Jack Byrne, Paris drilled a three, and Sanders capped it with a smooth bucket with 2:12 to play. The teams exchanged field goals before Wasyl hit a three to tie it 61-61 with 22 seconds left in regulation.
 
In overtime, it would be Wasyl again with the clutch basket. His original shot was blocked by Nick Volpe, but he scored off his own rebound to give the Brewers a 69-67 lead with 33 seconds to play. Sanders responded with a quick score on the opposite end to tie it 69-69. He missed the free throw, but Vassar lost the rebound, giving Skidmore the ball with 29 seconds left.
 
Rupkus dribbled time off the clock at the top of the arc, before splitting two Vassar players on the way to the winning basket with 3.2 seconds left. A Brewer half court shot fell short.
 
Skidmore will heads to Clarkson on Feb. 19 for an 8 p.m. game before closing out the regular season at home Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. against St. Lawrence.

COACH BURKE:
That was a heck of a college basketball game in what has become one of the best places to play Division III Basketball. Thank you to all the fans that came out and made that possible.

It's also fitting that it came on Alumni Day, all the former players in attendance had the chance to see what the environment is now like and that they helped create.  Give credit to Vassar, I thought they played well and I thought we had to play well to beat them. It simply came down to who had the ball last and fortunately we were able to make the play.

We still have a long way to go but I am proud of how this group has come together. We have dealt with adversity and our new faces have handled a ton of responsibility. Everyday I look forward to watching them grow and get better.