SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Despite an efficient 23 points from sophomore Hakeem Daphnis, the Skidmore College men's basketball team fell just shy of a come-from-behind victory against St. Lawrence, ultimately losing 60-52 at the Williamson Sports Center on Friday evening.

The Thoroughbreds (6-18, 2-15 Liberty League) withstood multiple scoring runs from the Saints (15-8, 9-8 Liberty League), whom went up by double-digits in both halves of basketball, but couldn't quite complete the second half comeback as the road team pulled away in the final minutes.

"We fought hard against an experienced veteran group which is what is expected every night from this program. At the end of the day, you have to make shots and we didn't tonight. You know you're seeing 40 minutes of zone when you play them and you need to be shot ready and close the deal," said head coach Joe Burke.

"Unfortunately, we just didn't put the ball in the hoop like we needed to. The toughest part of this game is that I thought we defended really well. Bottom line, if you hold a team to 60 points in your own gym, you have to win that game."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Neither team scored in the first three minutes of the game, before Skidmore junior Joey Skoric broke the drought with a pair of made free throws.
• The Saints followed up by quickly going up 11-4 at the 13:39 mark and gaining the upper hand in the early portion of the game. Despite the Thoroughbreds never allowing the lead to balloon any bigger for most of the first half, St. Lawrence eventually was able to build the first half advantage to as much as 11 points, 27-16, with 4:00 to go in the half.
• The Thoroughbreds closed out the first half on an 8-0 run off timely shot making, as Daphnis knocked down a pair of threes alongside a jumper from senior Alexei Downie, to pull within 27-24 at halftime.
• St. Lawrence came out the second half aggressive and placed the Thoroughbreds in a deficit as large as 14 points, 50-36, with 9:07 to go.
• Looking to make one last bid at a turnaround, Skidmore put up nine unanswered points while playing stellar defense to pull within 50-45 with six minutes to go.
• However, that proved the closest the home team would get as St. Lawrence proceeded to create layups at the rim and get to the free throw line to ultimately ice the game.

STANDOUT THOROUGHBREDS

• Daphnis finished with a game-high 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting and five made three-pointers.
• Skoric recorded 12 points, four rebounds, two steals with a block.
• Downie hauled in a game-high 11 boards to go with seven points

UP NEXT
The Thoroughbreds will conclude the 2024-25 season tomorrow in a Big Green Scream matchup against Clarkson at 4 PM.