SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College men's basketball team continues its crucial three-game week at home this weekend. Friday's contest features the Thoroughbreds against Liberty League rival No. 25 Hobart at 8 p.m., with the home finale, a 'Big Green Scream' and Senior Day contest, sees Skidmore battling RIT on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Saturday's home finale will serve as the annual Big Green Scream event, as well as Senior Day 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. As part of the Senior Day festivities, the Thoroughbreds will honor seniors
Jack Morrow,
Benny Louchheim,
Martin Bedulskij and
Marcus Jackson before tipoff. Both contests this weekend will have
live stats and
video for those watching from afar.
The Thoroughbreds (11-9, 7-7 Liberty League) look to bounce back from the Tuesday blip against Vassar, a 72-71 score. The Thoroughbreds were able to secure 17 second-chance points and score 28 points in the paint. In the last three minutes of the second half, the game stayed tight as no more than four points separated each team. With just four seconds to go in regulation,
Edvinas Rupkus was able to easily get into the paint, converting on a 3-point play to give Skidmore the lead, but it was Vassar's B.J. White who made three free throws after time expired to end the game.
Despite the loss, the Thoroughbreds come into this weekend in a three-way tie with Ithaca and RPI for fourth place in the league standings with four games to go. Skidmore is 3-1 this season against the four teams left on the regular season schedule. (RIT, St. Lawrence, Clarkson, and Hobart)
Co-captain
Edvinas Rupkus continues to stay hot, leading the team in points per game (22.3) and rebounds (7.0). It was during the second half on Tuesday when he scored his 1,500th point. He is the fifth member in program history to reach this milestone and first junior ever.
Dakpe Yiljep trails with 14.1 points per game and dishes an average of 5.7 assists.
Noah Meren and
Jack Byrne post similar numbers with 9.9 and 9.5 points per game, respectively.
Hobart (18-3, 13-1 Liberty League) comes in ranked 25th in the nation according to the latest d3hoops.com standings. The Statesmen are one of the hottest teams in the nation, sitting at the top of the conference on a 12-game win streak. The highest scoring team in the league at 81.8 points per game, Hobart has four players scoring in double-digits this season, all starters. Colin Dougherty leads the team with 16.1 points per game, grabbing 4.7 bounds per game and dishing 3.0 assists per game. Jamal Lucas doesn't trail far behind with 15.5 points per game, while leading the team in rebounds per game with 5.7. Tucker Lescoe shoots at a 40.4% from 3-point range and averages 12.9 points per game and Dan Masino trails the pack at 11.4.
RIT (10-11, 8-6 Liberty League) is currently sitting in third place in the league standings, just a game above the triumvirate of Skidmore, Ithaca, and RPI. Last time these two teams met in Rochester, Skidmore was able to pick up a clutch win over the Tigers in overtime, 77-76. Senior Troy Pierre-Louis carries the most of the Tigers offense with 15.6 points per game, shooting at 39.9% from the field goal and 37.3% from beyond the arc. Co-caption Anthony Lewis on averages picks up 12.2 points per game, 3.3 rebounds per game and 3.0 assists per game. The Tigers hold a 4-5 away record and pace themselves at an average of 67.8 points per game.
