Box Score
TROY, N.Y. – Senior captain
Matthew Pooley scored a team-high 20 points, while going 4 of 6 from beyond the arc to lead the Rensselaer men's basketball team to an 88-85 victory over Skidmore College, in Liberty League action from East Campus Arena. With the win the Engineers improve to 5-7 overall (2-2 Liberty), while the Thoroughbreds drop to 9-3 (3-1 Liberty).
After a free throw by Skidmore senior Kyle Clark (New York, NY/Poly Prep County Day) gave the visitors an 81-80 advantage with 2:21 left in the second half, Pooley (Middetown, NY/Chapel Field Christian School) went to work, scoring the game's next five points to put the Engineers up for good.
Pooley first took the ball to the hoop and scored for a one-point lead (82-81) with 1:29 left. He then banked home a long three-pointer for a two possession edge with 31 seconds remaining. Junior
Erik Hatton (Alkinson, NH/Timberlane Regional) sealed the win, going 2 for 2 at the line.
Skidmore came out hot to start the second half, drawing to within five (49-44) 2:25 into the frame. RPI answered as junior
Brendan Farley hit a jump shot and a three on consecutive possessions to push the hosts lead back to double-digits (54-44), four minutes in.
Two free throws by Clark (New York, NY/Poly Prep County Day) and a lay-up by Brian Lawry (West Hartford, CT/St. George's School) cut the Rensselaer edge to six (65-59) with 10:44 remaining in regulation. The Thoroughbreds then pulled even at 67-67 on a three-pointer by Melvis Langyintuo (Tamale, Ghana/The Lawrence School) with 8:14 left.
The two teams traded baskets until Terron Victoria (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) put Skidmore up 75-73 with 5:55 left after scored a lay-up and was fouled. A running hook shot by RPI junior Dan Martin (Cohasset, MA/Cohasset) tied game at 75-75.
Victoria then gave Skidmore its largest lead of the game (80-77) with 3:28 on the clock. Engineers' sophomore
Nick Keefe (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) came right back with a lay-in and a free throw tie the game once again (80-80).
Rensselaer used 53% shooting (19 for 36), including 67% (8 for 12) from beyond the three-point line to building a 13-point first half advantage. Leading the charge in the opening stanza was Pooley, who had 10 points. Freshman
Josh Dugas (Monroe, CT/St. Luke's) came off the bench to score nine points on 3 of 3 shooting on three-pointers in just five minutes of action.
The Engineers took their largest lead of the half, 46-31, on a three by Pooley with 1:41 left in the half. Victoria put up a team-best nine first half points.
The Engineers return to the court on Tuesday, when they visit Bard College (8pm). Skidmore travels to Potsdam on Tuesday to face Clarkson (8pm).
