Skidmore (15-6, 10-2 Liberty) vs. Hobart (13-8, 8-4 Liberty)
Game Details: Friday, Feb. 10 | 8 p.m. (Big Green Scream)
Location: Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Williamson Sports Center
Game Links: Stats | Video
Skidmore: Roster | Stats
Hobart: Roster | Stats
 
Skidmore (15-6, 10-2 Liberty) at Union (12-8, 8-4 Liberty)
Game Details: Saturday, Feb. 11 | 4 p.m.
Location: Schenectady, N.Y. – Viniar Athletic Center
Game Links: Stats | Video | Radio
Skidmore: Roster | Stats
Union: Roster | Stats
 
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A chance to clinch a first-round home contest in the upcoming Liberty League playoffs highlights a busy weekend for the Skidmore College men's basketball team. The Thoroughbreds will host Hobart on Friday in the annual 'Big Green Scream' event at 8 p.m., and will travel to nearby Schenectady to take on Union Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
Friday's home contest is the annual Big Green Scream event for the Thoroughbreds. The first 250 fans will receive a free T-shirt commemorating the event. There are other giveaways at the event, including a 32-inch smart TV. Admission to the game is free.
 
Skidmore (15-6, 10-2 Liberty League) sits in a tie for first place in the league standings, having already defeated co-leaders St. Lawrence earlier in the season. Both Skidmore and St. Lawrence sit two games ahead of Hobart and Union with four games to go in the regular season. A Skidmore sweep this weekend will clinch a home contest in the Liberty League Semifinals, to take place on Feb. 22.
 
Last weekend, the Thoroughbreds fell to Bard on Friday by a 70-61 score, snapping their six-game winning streak. Skidmore rebounded on Saturday, shooting nearly 52 percent from the field and tallying a season-high in points, defeating Vassar 97-73.
 
Edvinas Rupkus continued his hot shooting this past weekend, averaging 20 points on 50 percent shooting, adding 10.5 rebounds and two blocks in the two games. He was also effective from the charity stripe, sinking all 14 free throw attempts. Rupkus was named to the Liberty League honor roll for the third time this season, and has already earned two performer of the week honors.
 
Skidmore's defense has been solid in league play this season. The Thoroughbreds lead the league in scoring defense, with teams averaging just 65.3 points per game. The Thoroughbreds also lead the league in opponents' field goal percentage (.378) and are second in blocked shots per game (4.25).
 
Hobart comes into the weekend sporting a 13-8 record and an 8-5 mark in league play. The Statesmen sit tied for third place in the league standings with Union, and are a game ahead of fifth-place Clarkson. Hobart is the league's hottest team, winning their last four games, including blowouts against St. Lawrence and Clarkson last weekend in Geneva.
 
The Statesmen are led by three double-digit scorers. Colin Dougherty leads the way, averaging 15.8 points per game and adding a team-leading 3.0 assists. Jamal Lucas is second with 11.9 points per game, shooting it at a nearly 40 percent clip. Tucker Lescoe rounds out the bunch with his 11.6 points per game, shooting 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.
 
The last time these two teams met was on Jan. 14 in Geneva. It was a dramatic one, as Aldin Medunjanin found Rupkus for an easy layup with 8.2 seconds remaining, giving the Thoroughbreds the 70-69 victory.
 
Union is also tied for third in the league standings, sitting with an 8-4 mark, and a 12-8 record overall. The Dutchmen will host RPI on Friday before the Thoroughbreds come to town on Saturday. Union is also on a bit of a roll, having won its last three contests. The Dutchmen swept the weekend series at Vassar and Bard, before coming from behind in a 71-70 victory at home against RIT.
 
Union has four players scoring in double digits. Deshon Burgess leads the way, averaging 18.8 points per game. Wade McNamara is just short of averaging a double-double with 15.3 points and 9.9 rebounds. Kevin Weckworth averages 10.6 points, and Greg King wraps up the double-digit scoring with 10.3 points per game.
 
The teams last met on Jan. 6 in Saratoga Springs. Rupkus scored a game-high 25 points, Medunjanin added 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Marcus Jackson and Chase Ta each added seven to lead Skidmore to a 70-58 victory.