SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College men's basketball team got the stops it needed to with the game on the line, holding off a charging Bard squad with a much-needed 77-66 victory in Liberty League action at the Williamson Sports Center Friday night.
 
Skidmore snaps a brief two-game losing skid, improving to 9-6 overall and 7-2 in the Liberty League. Bard falls to 8-7 and 4-4.
 
The Thoroughbreds led by as many as 16 early in the second half, jumping out to a 14-2 run to hold what looked to be a commanding 51-35 lead. Bard's Alijah Rue sparked the Raptor rally, scoring eight straight points to lead a 14-2 run over a span of 4:50.
 
With Skidmore leading by a narrow one-point, 56-55 margin midway through the second half, the Thoroughbreds would hold Bard at bay with timely baskets. Noah Meren would answer Bard's 3-pointer with a traditional three-point play, pushing the lead to four. He would then pick the pocket of Bard's Zach Jacobs, going the other way for the layup to push it back up to six at the 8:37 mark.
 
Bard would make another spurt, getting within three points (63-60) at the 5:15 mark. On the other end, Edvinas Rupkus would find Ty Lamport in the corner, hitting a crucial 3-pointer to push the lead to six. With the Skidmore lead still at six points (70-64) with 1:09 to go, Bard raced for what seemed to be an easy fast-break opportunity, but David Runcie's shot and Bard's chances at a comeback was punched away on the backboard by a leaping Meren. The Thoroughbreds utilized their free-throw shooting prowess late to clinch the victory.
 
"That's a good win against a good team," said head coach Joe Burke. "[Bard head coach] Adam Turner has done a heck of a job building that roster and in my opinion they are one of the more talented teams in the league. I thought we showed some toughness that was missing in our last two games. I also thought our bench and our young guys gave us a great lift tonight."
 
Meren tallied 31 points, adding nine rebounds, two steals and the aforementioned blocked shot to lead the Thoroughbreds, who got quality production from a multitude of players. Rupkus once again filled the stat sheet with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Ryan Murunge made his first collegiate start and made an instant impact with a season-best 10 points and three blocked shots. Pat Gallagher would add 10 points and two blocked shots off the bench. The Thoroughbreds outrebounded the athletic Raptors by a 42-31 margin, and blocked seven shots.
 
Rue led the Raptors with 17 points and five assists. Runcie chipped in 15 points and Justyn Rogers added 14 points and nine rebounds. Skidmore held the league's highest scoring team to a season-low 66 points, with Bard having one of its worst shooting performances of the season (38.5 percent from the field), thanks to a stingy Thoroughbred defense.
 
"Tomorrow will provide another tough challenge," said Burke. "Ithaca is a tough guard with the small lineup they use. We are going to have to really be engaged on the defensive end."
 
That challenge will begin a bit earlier than usual, with the Saturday matchup against Ithaca pushed up to 3 p.m.