SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Aldin Medunjanin and Edvinas Rupkus combined for 49 points to lead the Skidmore College men's basketball team to an 87-83 Liberty League win over Hobart College in front of a standing room only Big Green Scream crowd.
 
The win clinches a seventh straight playoff bid for the Thoroughbreds (16-6, 11-2 Liberty). The two-time defending champions have three regular season games remaining. All three against playoff contenders. Hobart (13-9, 8-5) is in fourth place with three games to play.
 
Medunjanin was perfect from the line with a Skidmore record 15 free throws, on the way to 28 points.  He added 12 rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Rupkus navigated foul trouble to score 21 points to go along with nine rebounds. Jack Morrow hit five threes for 15 points and Jack Byrne scored 11 points and had three assists.
 
Colin Dougherty was a one-man show for Hobart with 32 points and eight rebounds. Tucker Lescoe was the only other Statesman in double figures with 11 points. Jamal Lucas had nine points and 11 rebounds.
 
After six first half lead changes, Skidmore held Hobart scoreless for the last 3:08 of the half for a 36-30 lead at the break.
 
The second half was as tight with five ties and four more lead changes. A deep three by Medunjanin with 14:56 to play gave the Thoroughbreds their biggest lead of the game, 54-46. Hobart battled back with a 10-2 run to tie it 56-56 at the 11:54 mark. Dougherty scored eight of the 10 points.
 
The game stayed tight, with the Statesmen scratching out a 72-66 lead on a Dougherty layup with 5:52 to play. Skidmore responded with a 10-0 run behind a pair of traditional three-point plays from Rupkus and Medunjanin, giving the Thoroughbreds a 76-72 advantage with 4:00 left.
 
Hobart appeared to regain control with seven straight points capped by a pair of Pete Drescher free throws for a 79-76 lead with 2:04 to play. Medunjanin placed a perfect pass to Morrow who drained a three to tie it 79-79 at 1:46. Dougherty responded with an inside field goal at 1:35 to put the Statesmen up 81-79.
 
That would be the last lead of the game for Hobart. Medunjanin scored the game's next six points for an 85-81 Skidmore lead. Another Dougherty layup cut it to 85-83 with 3.9 seconds left, but Rupkus drained a pair of free throws with 3.5 seconds to play for the 87-83 final.
 
Skidmore finished the game 26-29 (.897) from the free throw line, while Hobart was 18-25 (.720).

"That was a really good college basketball game between two good teams with a lot of history in great environment," said Skidmore coach Joe Burke. "I thought our guys battled right to the end. Credit Hobart, I thought they kept counter punching but we were able to make a couple big plays down the stretch.
 
"Special thanks to our fans.  I know there is a lot of basketball in the 518 and I have been to all the venues at all the levels, but I continue to tell people that this the best atmosphere out there.  The place was electric and our guys rallied around it."

The Thoroughbreds travel to Union College on Saturday for a 4 p.m. game. The Statesmen are at RPI.