SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College men's basketball team opened with a 56-51 victory over Stevens on Saturday afternoon.
 
Free throws served as the difference in the game as Skidmore was 17-for-19 (89.5 percent), while Stevens was just 5-for-13 (38.5 percent). Stevens finished at 30.8 percent from the field and Skidmore shot 26.2 percent.
 
"I first want to thank our fans for coming out today on such late notice," said Skidmore head coach Joe Burke. "Skidmore has become such a great place to play college basketball and the environment never disappoints. I know our guys really appreciated it especially after the long lay-off."
 
Junior Tautvydas Kupstas and senior Ty Lamport led the thoroughbreds with 15 points each. Lamport also had a game-high five steals, with eight rebounds, four assists, and a perfect 6-for-6 mark at the foul line. Kupstas was also impeccable at the charity stripe in four attempts. He was 5-for-16 from the field with a rebound, an assist, and two steals.
 
Harrison Eichelberger finished with 11 points on 3-for-8 shooting from 3-point range. Riley Greene had nine points with seven boards and four assists. Greg Skoric posted 12 rebounds with three offensive boards and three blocks.
 
Alec DiPietrantonio and Mike Goodall led the Ducks with 14 and 13 points, respectively. DiPietrantonio finished with 11 rebounds, three offensive, and two assists. Goodall had six rebounds, but four offensive boards, with three assists and two steals.
 
Skidmore held the lead ever since going ahead 11-10 with 8:48 left in the first half. The advantage swelled to as much as 19 early in the second half before Stevens closed on a 33-19 run from that point to get it back into the contest.
 
Skidmore saw its lead shrink to three twice in the final 30 seconds but survived with four free throws made, two each from Greene and Kupstas.
 
"We got the result we wanted today but probably not the way we wanted it," Burke said. "Give credit to Stevens for refusing to go away and fighting us till the end.  We just need time and reps. I told the guys that tonight we proved we could win ugly. We don't want to play games in the 50s, but it's good to know we can win that way if we must. I thought our defense and foul shooting carried us, but I am also confident this group will put up some big numbers once we get our rhythm offensively. We are excited to run it back against Potsdam on Tuesday."
 
The Thoroughbreds will host SUNY Potsdam on Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.