Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Junior Sam Simmons (Newburgh, NY/Newburgh) recorded 20 points and 15 rebounds – both game-highs – to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s basketball team to its first Liberty League victory of the season, a 62-50 win over Skidmore. The Red Hawks are now 8-5 overall and 1-1 in the league. The Thoroughbreds drop to 1-11 on the season and 0-3 in the Liberty League.

Skidmore came out fired up in the first half, shooting 52.6% from the floor, including 15 points from junior Jonah Haviland-Markowitz (Brooklyn, NY/Packer Collegiate Institute). The visiting Thoroughbreds led by as much as 11 points late in the half to take a 32-23 lead into the intermission.

Rensselaer came back in the second frame, tying the game 39-39 at the 11:10 mark on a pair of free throws from freshman Ricky Philatre (Randolph, MA/Randolph). The Red Hawks never looked back, jumping out to their largest lead of the game – 14 points (60-46) – with 3:15 remaining in the contest.

Both Simmons, who went 10 for 17 from the field, and senior Neal Wesson (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth) came up big in the second half for Rensselaer, tallying 12 and 16 points, respectively in the final stanza to secure the victory.

Wesson added three rebounds, four assists, two blocks and three steals in the win while Philatre added six points and 11 rebounds (five offensive).

Skidmore was led by Haviland-Markowitz, who finished with 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds. He also had a game-best four blocks. Sophomore Brian Perrier (Garden City, NJ/Collegiate School) and freshman Bobby Langford (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) added nine points each in the loss.

RPI returns to action on Tuesday night when it travels to Vassar for a game against the Brewers (8pm). Skidmore is back in action on Friday and Saturday at Hobart (8pm) and Hamilton (4pm).