TROY, N.Y.—The 24^th ranked Rensselaer Engineers ran out to a 41-23 first half lead then held off Skidmore for a 74-59 Liberty League men's basketball win Sunday afternoon.
 
The Thoroughbreds are 6-6 overall and 2-4 in league play, while the league leading Engineers are 12-2 and 6-1.
 
Ty Lamport scored a career-high 23 points for Skidmore. Greg Skoric (16) and Riley Greene (11) also scored in double figures. Skoric pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to go along with one block and four steals.
 
Mason Memmelaar led RPI with 27 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Thoroughbreds hung tough with the 24^th ranked Engineers in the first half. Down seven, Lamport drilled a three-pointer with 5:14 left in the first half to cut it to 27-23. The Engineers responded by scoring the final 18 points of the half to take a 41-23 lead.
 
Skidmore outscored RPI 36-33 in the second half, but couldn't get any closer than 15.
 
"We had the game where we wanted in the middle of the first half but the closing run by RPI really killed us," said Skidmore coach Joe Burke. "Thay have good veteran players and our lack of playing really showed at that point. 
 
"We had a much better 2nd half effort and I thought we got some rhythm that we haven't had in a long time but just couldn't get over the hump.
 
"The situation in front of us is to get game reps because we don't have time for practice reps. We need to keep trying to get our legs and more guys back and involved."
 
The Thoroughbreds turn right around to host Bard on Tuesday night in a rescheduled contest at 7:30 p.m. Only Skidmore Community members with ID and KN95 masks will be allowed to attend.