SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Senior Harrison Eichelberger found classmate Tautvydas Kupstas for an open lay up with 5.2 seconds left to give the Thoroughbreds the lead as the Skidmore College men's basketball team battled back to defeat RIT, 78-76, on Saturday.
 

• The Thoroughbreds trailed by eight with under five minutes left and stormed all the way back to pick up the win and weekend split.
• Skidmore improves to 5-7 and 3-2 in the Liberty League. RIT falls to 6-5 and 2-2.
• Greg Skoric pulled down one of his six offensive rebounds with 49 seconds remaining and immediately drew a foul. He hit 1-of-2 free throws to make it a one-point game, 76-75 RIT.
• RIT was whistled for a travel on its next possession, giving Skidmore the ball back with 19 seconds to play.
• Eichelberger hit Kupstas, who drove to the glass and laid in his eighth field goal and 23^rd and 24^th points, to give the Thoroughbreds the lead by one.
• An RIT player stepped out of bounds with under four seconds left to give Skidmore the ball back, where Riley Greene made it 78-76 from the free-throw line. The Tigers ran out of time in attempting a desperation shot from mid-court.
• Eichelberger finished with 18 points, five rebounds, and a pair of assists.
• Skoric had a double-doube with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
• Greene had a game-high 10 assists to go along with eight points and six boards.
• Andrew Fox matched Kupstas for the game high in scoring with 24 for the visitors. Kevin Ryan registered 13 points and 10 rebounds.
• Skidmore raced to an early lead and build it to a 17-point advantage, 23-6, just 8:08 into the contest.
• The Thoroughbreds led by 10 at the half.
• RIT swung momentum in the second half and used an 11-0 run to build its own 10-point lead with 7:44 left to play.
• Five straight Kupstas free throws helped bring the Thoroughbreds back to within striking distance in the late stages.
• Coach Joe Burke: "We needed a win against a good team, and we got that tonight. I thought both teams gave everything they had, and we were fortunate to pull it out. The second game of a back-to-back on this league is always rough. I was happy we had enough left in the tank to execute at the end." 
• NEXT UP: Skidmore will end its season series against Hobart at home on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 5 p.m.