MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Skidmore College men's basketball team could not shake off a cold shooting performance as host Middlebury pulled away with a 71-54 victory, in non-league action from Pepin Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
 
Skidmore's (4-3) three-game win streak comes to an end, while Middlebury (6-2) snaps its two-game losing skid.
 
Sophomore guard Noah Meren led the Thoroughbreds with 19 points, adding six rebounds. Senior guard Edvinas Rupkus added 12 points and four rebounds, while freshman center Greg Skoric added 10 points and two blocked shots. Skidmore shot a season-low 31.3 percent from the field in the contest.
 
Eric McCord led Middlebury with an 18-point, 16-rebound double-double. Matt Folger added 14 points and eight rebounds.
 
The game opened up with both teams trading leads. Meren converted on a running jumper to give Skidmore an 11-10 lead, but Middlebury went on a 12-0 run to open its lead to double digits at the 9:28 mark. Skidmore would bring the deficit down to single digits on a pair of occasions, but Middlebury's 45 percent effort from the field carried them to a 43-26 halftime lead.
 
The Panthers led by as many as 26 points (58-32) early in the second half, before Skidmore brought the lead under 20 with an 8-0 run. Skoric converted on the layup of a solid pass by senior forward Dakpe Yiljep, as Middlebury led 58-40 at the 10:20 mark. The lead settled there, as Middlebury was able to thwart any possible Skidmore comeback.
 
The Thoroughbreds return to action on Wednesday, hosting Liberty League foe Vassar at the Williamson Sports Center, for a 7 p.m. start.