SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College men's basketball team was defeated by visiting SUNY New Paltz, 79-59, on Friday evening in the season opener for both teams.
 

• New Paltz carried the lead for over 93 percent of the game fueled by a 27-9 edge in second-chance points.
• The Thoroughbreds did come out with a punch, scoring the game's first four points for their only lead of the night. New Paltz scored the next 10 points in a row and never let Skidmore come all the way back, despite closing the gap to one twice and a later second-half push.
• The Thoroughbreds hung around in the first half and cut the deficit to three on a Charlie Fantom 3-point play with 6:38 remaining.
• New Paltz pushed back with a quick 10-2 run to grab its first double-digit lead of the game at 35-24.
• Early in the second half, Skidmore raced to score 10 unanswered points, highlighted by back-to-back Aidan Roy 3-balls, to narrow the margin all the way down to five.
• The Hawks weathered the storm and had their double-digit lead back within a minute and led by as many as 22 down the stretch.
• Skidmore was led by sophomore Joey Skoric, who had 13 points with seven rebounds and a pair of assists with a steal.
• Fantom, in his collegiate debut, scored 12 points with two assists and two steals for the Thoroughbreds.
• Roy and fellow first-year Nick Padilla added eight points apiece. Roy also registered a game high four assists.
• Sebastian Obregón-Parenti chipped in with six points on a pair of made 3-pointers.
• Skidmore struggled to heat up offensively, finishing 24-for-71 (33.8 percent) from the field.
• New Paltz shot 46.6 percent as a team with 20 made free throws.
• Rylan Blando led all players with 17 points for the Hawks with 10 rebounds for a double-double.
• The visitors finished with a 40-24 edge in points in the paint and scored 20 fast-break points to Skidmore's eight.
• The game was a fundraiser to support the Burke family and head coach Joe Burke. The family recently lost their home in a devastating fire. Gift cards were collected to donate to the Burkes for essential items and QR codes were made aplenty for the GoFundMe, which surpassed $63 thousand raised during the game. Attendance came in at over 1,000 people.
• "The outpouring of support confirms that this is not only one of the best places to play, but it is the best place to play small college basketball," Burke said when he took the microphone just before tip-off. "And our family thanks you from the bottom of our heart."

NEXT UP: Skidmore will hit the road to SUNY Potsdam on Tuesday, Nov. 14.