Box Score | Game Highlights

After trailing the entire first half, Hobart College scored the first four points of the second half to take the lead and the Statesmen stayed ahead for the remainder of the game on its way to defeating Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 66-55 in a Liberty League contest at East Campus Arena.
 
Colin Dougherty and Tucker Lescoe each had 17 points for the visitors, who have now won six of their last seven games to improve to 12-7 overall and 9-3 in the conference. The Engineers, who got 16 points from Patrick Mahoney, fall to 10-9 and 5-7.
 
RPI started quickly, scoring the first nine points of the game, including a three-pointer from Mitchel Wayand and six straight points from Mahoney, including a basket off a press-break.
 
The Statesmen got on the board four minutes into the game with a three pointer from Dougherty, but Mahoney answered with a layup for an 11-3 lead. Forced turnovers led to eight more points for the Engineers, including two more threes from Wayand, and RPI led 19-5.
 
Following a Hobart timeout, the Statesmen kept Rensselaer off the board for six straight minutes and pulled to within 19-13 on an and-1 from Edens Fleurizard with just under seven minutes to play. Mason Memmelaar countered with an and-1 of his own before both teams hit from long range, including a Kevin Davis three as the shot clock expired and RPI led 25-16 with four minutes to play.
 
A five-point trip down the floor for the visitors, thanks to a Jackson Meshanic jumper and a Lescoe three, made it 25-21 with just over two minutes left in the half and Dougherty pulled Hobart to within one, 25-24, with a three pointer.
 
Dougherty and Wayand each had nine points in the opening 30 minutes, while Mahoney added eight points for the Engineers.
 
Hobart got the lead 29 seconds into the second half when Lescoe forced a steal and scored on a fast break layup. A Jamal Lucas jumper made it 28-25, but RPI tied it on a free throw from Andreas Kontopidis and a jumper from Giese.
 
With the score tied 30-30, the Statesmen went on a 6-0 run with Lescoe, Dougherty and Fleurizard scoring two points apiece for a six point lead with 14:42 to play. RPI pulled to within one point on two separate occasions, but a 7-0 Hobart streak pushed its lead to 47-40 midway through the half.
 
Five straight points by the Engineers on a two from Kontipidis and a three from Legend Dominguez with 7:36 left had RPI back to within two points and RPI eventually got to within one, 51-50, with 4:34 to play. Hobart pushed it back to seven points with just over two minutes left.
 
Mahoney then beat the shot clock with a three for a four point deficit (57-53), but Lescoe scored on a layup, Dougherty made a pair of free throws, Jack Lesure had a free throw and Lescoe scored twice from the foul line for a 64-53 lead with 30 seconds left.
 
Lescoe (5 for 10) and Dougherty (5 for 11) both added three rebounds, while Fleurizard finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. Lesure scored five points with a team-best eight rebounds.
 
Mahoney made 6 of 9 shots for his team-high 16 points, along with five rebounds. Wayand finished with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals, while Dominguez had a career-high eight points. Giese led the Engineers with eight rebounds.
 
RPI is back in action on Friday at Union College (7pm), while the Statesmen travel to St. Lawrence University on Friday (7pm).