SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. –The Skidmore College men's basketball team held off a second half Bard comeback for to secure a 75-65 Liberty League victory Friday night at the Williamson Center.
 
The Thoroughbreds improve to 6-10, 5-4 in Liberty League play, while the Raptors drop to 0-15, 0-9.
 
Ty Lamport led Skidmore with 22 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Tautvydas Kupstas added 16 points and Riley Greene 15. Kupstas was key on defense with four steals and seven rebounds.
 
Elliot Harris led the Raptors with 24 points. Stefanos Psarras proved to be a challenge for Skidmore as he finished with 15 points and led the team on defense with seven rebounds. Stamatis Koulouris scored 14 points and Tyler Bruns contributed 10.
 
The Thoroughbreds started the game in dominating fashion. Lamport hit back-to-back three pointers to put the Thoroughbreds up 6-3 in the first three minutes of the game. Skidmore proceeded to go on a 14-point run to go up 17-3, holding Bard to three points for the first 11 minutes of play. Three different Thoroughbreds, Lamport, Greene, and Harrison Eichelberger, hit three's during the run. Bard hung around, cutting the deficit to four, 26-22 with 1:09 to play. A layup and deep three by Kupstas in the final minute gave Skidmore a 31-23 lead at the break.
 
Skidmore regained a solid lead coming out of the half, going up 50-35 after three back-to-back three pointers by Kupstas and Greene with 13:41 on the clock. The Raptors cut the lead down multiple times, but it wasn't until a good three point shot by Psarras put them within five points with 47 seconds left in the game. However, Greene came in clutch at the end making four free throws to help secure the 75-65 win for Skidmore.
 
"You got to give credit to Bard," said Skidmore coach Joe Burke. "I think Coach Turner does a terrific job and they came in here tonight and refused to go away.
 
"I was proud of our guys for fighting off the challenge, but it was also another lesson for this group. Games aren't won on paper and we aren't good enough right now to roll the ball out there and win. We will take the win and get ready for a tough one tomorrow."
 
The Thoroughbreds face a crucial Liberty League match Saturday against Union College at 4 p.m. at the Williamson Center.