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TROY, N.Y. - Freshman Tucker Lescoe scored 30 points on 11 of 16 shooting, including 7 of 12 from three-point range, and the Hobart College men's basketball team defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 77-60 in a Liberty League game at East Campus Arena. As a team, the Statesmen shot better than 58 percent with 11 three-pointers to improve to 14-9 overall and 9-5 in the conference. The Engineers, who had a two-game winning streak snapped, fall to 12-11 and 6-8.

Lescoe, a guard, started the game on a hot streak, connecting on 5 of 8 shots from the floor (3 of 6 from three-point range) with a free throw for 14 first half points. He then went 6 of 8 in the second half with four more three pointers. The Denver, Pa., native added three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Classmate Sam Allen, a forward, finished with 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting with seven rebounds and sophomore Colin Dougherty scored 12 points, making 5 of 8 shots. Hobart connected on 31 of 53 (58.5%) from the field with 11 of 24 (45.8%) coming from behind the arc. 

The Engineers, who were within single digits with just over eight minutes left in the second half, were led by senior Jonathan Luster, who scored 18 points. He made 7 of 10 shots from the floor, including 4 of 7 threes, with three rebounds and an assist. Sophomore Tom Horvat added 13 points (5 of 8) with two rebounds, two assists and three steals. Rensselaer managed to shoot 39.6% (21 of 53) in the contest.

RPI jumped out to a 20-13 lead midway through the first half before Lescoe hit a three and then scored on a layup with a free throw to cut the deficit to one point, 20-19, in less than two minutes. A Luke Ruddy basket gave the visitors a 21-20 lead and Lescoe made a three-pointer for a four-point edge with just over seven minutes left in the first frame. Hobart was ahead by six points three minutes later, but a three-pointer from RPI's Andreas Kontopidis put the score at 28-25. Lescoe was there to answer again, however, and Dougherty hit a three-point shot from the top of the key at the buzzer for a 33-27 lead at the half.

The margin remained within single digits though the first 12 minutes of the second half, but Lescoe hit consecutive long range shots for a 60-45 lead with 6:49 to play to seal the victory.

RPI returns to the court on Friday when it travels to Vassar College (8pm). Hobart hosts Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) on Wednesday at 8pm. Both games are Liberty League games.