Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 22, 2008) –- In a low-scoring affair between playoff-bound Liberty League squads, a late 6-0 run proved the difference for the St. Lawrence men's basketball team in a 57-48 victory over Vassar College on Friday night at the Athletics & Fitness Center.

With the loss, the Brewers drop to 17-6, 8-5 in the Liberty League. Although guaranteed a spot in the Liberty League playoffs, Vassar needed to defeat the Saints for any chance at gaining the top seed and a home-court advantage next weekend. Vassar is currently in third place and hosts Clarkson University Saturday at 4 p.m. With Clarkson sitting in the fourth spot, the game could decide who will face the top seed next weekend. Vassar will honor five Brewers on Senior Day: Tyson Brazell (Salt Lake City, UT/Waterford School), Daniel Forcella (Falmouth, ME/Falmouth), Lawrence Avitabile (Southington, CT/Southington), Jon Swartz (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) and Kyle Magnus (South Burlington, VT/Rice Memorial).

St. Lawrence improves to 16-8, 11-2 in the conference and solidifies the top seed and home-court advantage in the Liberty League playoffs. The Saints, who have won 14 out of their last 16 games, will end their regular season at RPI on Saturday.

After a lay-up by Andy Hoercher (Auburn, NY/Auburn High School/Hotchkiss School) broke a 41-all tie with 3:52 to play, the Saints sank six consecutive free throws to gain a 49-41 advantage with 1:13 remaining in the game. With the Brewers forced to foul, St. Lawrence hit 6-of-8 free throws down the home stretch to pull out a nine-point victory.

St. Lawrence entered the second half with a five point lead, but the Saints coughed up the ball five times in their first six possessions. The Brewers took advantage of the turnovers and four points from Brazell, a lay-up from Magnus and a three-pointer by junior Matt Nunn (Lower Gwynedd, PA/Abington Friends) gave Vassar a 31-27 lead with 15:37 to play. However, the Brewers never managed to gain more than a five-point edge on the Saints and when St. Lawrence took the lead on Hoercher's lay-up late in the game, it proved to be the winning basket.

Vassar started the game off strong by amassing a 15-6 lead in the first seven minutes on the strength of four points apiece from Brazell and Nunn. However, the Saints responded by sinking four consecutive three-pointers – two by Tyler Shaver (Ogdenburg, NY/Ogdenburg Free Academy) and one apiece from Hoercher and Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) – to spur a 12-2 run and take a 18-17 lead with 6:32 remaining in the half. St. Lawerence retained its lead for the remainder of the half and a jumper by Shaver with time winding down gave the Saints a 27-22 advantage heading into the locker room.

Brazell led the Brewers with 14 points, while Joe Davis (East Amherst, NY/St. Joseph's Institute) contributed 12, nine in the first half. Playing without the injured Avitabile, the league's top rebounder, Vassar was out-rebounded 42-21.

For the Saints, Shaver led all scorers with 15 points, Hoercher added 14 and Wopperer chipped in with 12. Tyler Wright (Teaneck, NJ/Paramus Catholic) pulled down a game-high 10 boards.

The Brewers forced the Saints into 20 turnovers, but were unable to convert on the extra opportunities, as their field goal (35.8%, 26.7% from the three-point line) and free-throw percentages (46.2%) fell well below their season averages (45.3%, 33.6%, and 69.4% respectively).