Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Senior captain Brendan Farley scored a game-high 19 points as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's basketball team defeated Skidmore, 73-66, on Senior Day at East Campus Arena. With the win – their seventh in a row – the Engineers improve to 16-9 overall (11-5 Liberty League). The Thoroughbreds drop to 15-10 (9-7 Liberty League).

A defensive oriented first half saw the hosts take a 34-20 lead after the opening 20 minutes of play. The Engineers held Skidmore to just 31% shooting in the opening stanza, including 0 for 9 from three-point territory.

Skidmore opened the second half shooting well from the field and pulled to within 36-34, less than five minutes in. Senior Sakhile Sithole (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa/Episcopal) hit the three-pointer that trimmed the RPI lead to two.

Rensselaer senior Cedric White (Rutland, VT/Rutland Senior) hit a free-throw and sophomore Josh Dugas (Monroe, CT/Notre Dame) then hit a three-pointer to push the hosts' lead back to six (40-34).

A minute later the Thoroughbreds pulled to within one (42-41) on another three-pointer from Sithole, who finished with a team-best 17 points on the evening.

Skidmore did not get any closer the rest of the way, despite pulling to within two points on two more occasions. The Engineers had answer every time the Thoroughbreds came within striking distance.

Aiding Farley offensive was senior captain Jamie Zajac (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack), who had 12 points, three rebounds and two assists. Classmate and fellow captain Daniel Martin (Cohasset, MA/Cohasset) added a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, while junior Nick Keefe (Rensselaer, NY?Columbia) had 10 points and three boards.

The Thoroughbreds saw four players reach double-figures, including junior Eli Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Tech), who had 13 points. Sophomore Connor Merrill (Panton, VT/Vermont Academy) and freshman Aldin Medunjanin (New York, NY/Millbrook) poured in 12 points apiece.

The Engineers are back in action on Wednesday, when they travel to Schenectady for the semifinal round of the Liberty League Tournament (TBD). Skidmore will visit Hobart on Wednesday (TBD).