SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College men's basketball team has once again climbed to the top of the Liberty League mountain, winning its fifth Liberty League Championship after a dominating 82-66 victory over Hobart, held at the Williamson Sports Center Sunday afternoon.
 
Skidmore has won seven in a row, improving to 19-7 on the season. The Thoroughbreds have earned the league's automatic bid into the upcoming NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, and will await their opponent at 1 p.m. on Monday. Skidmore also earns the season series against Hobart with its second win in three tries. The Statesmen finish their season with a 17-11 record.
 
Senior guard Edvinas Rupkus led the team in scoring with 22 points, shooting 8-for-13 from the field (3-of-5 from 3-point range). Sophomore guard Noah Meren earned Liberty League Most Valuable Player honors, scoring 18 points, adding six rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. Senior guard Chase Ta was aggressive from the start, adding 14 points, four rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Freshman center Greg Skoric added 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. The Thoroughbreds also got production from their bench, as junior guard Pat Gallagher added nine points (3-of-3 from 3-point range). Skidmore shot 54.5 percent from the field in the game, including 66.7 percent (16-of-24) in the second half.
 

 
Colin Dougherty led Hobart with 15 points. Jamal Lucas added 13 points and six rebounds.

"I'm extremely proud of this team," said head coach Joe Burke, "They really earned it.  Our goal every October is to be the best team we can be in February and we are playing basketball at a very high level right now.  I will comment more over the next few days but I am just so happy for this group it's hard to put into words."
 
It was a slow start for both offenses with just six points from each team in the first seven minutes of regulation. Hobart took a brief 9-6 lead on a Tucker Lescoe 3-pointer, but that lead wouldn't last long. Sophomore guard Ty Lamport hit a running jumper on the other end, then Gallagher picked Hobart's Edens Fluizard on the ensuing possession, setting up a Ta 3-pointer to give Skidmore the 11-9 lead. It was the spark of an 11-2 run that gave Skidmore a 17-11 lead midway through the half.
 
Hobart worked to take another lead at 18-17, but it would be the last lead for the Statesmen. A second Ta 3-pointer sparked a 17-6 spurt over the final 7:44 of the half, as Skidmore took a 10-point, 34-24 lead into halftime.
 
The Statesmen made it a game coming out of the break, scoring six of the first eight points to bring the deficit down to six. Skidmore buckled down and went on a massive 19-5 run in 4:02, capped off by the and-one basket by Rupkus as Skidmore held a 20-point, 55-35 lead.
 
Hobart wouldn't get any closer than 14 the rest of the way, with consecutive thefts and baskets by Meren and Ta sealing the deal for the Thoroughbreds in the victory.