Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 24, 2009) -- In a hard-fought men's basketball contest that featured twelve lead changes, St. Lawrence outlasted Vassar 78-72 thanks to a dominating performance inside and the efforts of senior Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius), who scored 27 points on 13-of-18 shooting.

Vassar (6-10, 1-4) continues its Liberty League campaign next weekend against Union and Skidmore. St. Lawrence (11-4, 4-1) will look to keep pace with the rest of the Liberty League leaders when it meets Hamilton and Hobart next weekend.

Despite good support from the home crowd, St. Lawrence jumped out to a 10-5 lead, scoring its first five baskets in the paint. This would be a recurring theme throughout the game as the Saints took advantage of Vassar underneath the hoop, out-rebounding the Brewers 45-29 and scoring 52 of their 78 points in the paint. The Brewers had chances late in the game, but missed three of five free throws in the last five minutes.

Tied at halftime 43-43, St. Lawrence jumped out in front early in the second half, and equaled its biggest lead of the game with 15:46 to play when a lay-up by Wopperer gave the Saints a 54-46 lead. A three-point play by Senior Joe Davis (East Amherst, NY/St. Joseph's Institute) on the ensuing possession ended the St. Lawrence run and kept the Brewers within striking distance.

Vassar again pulled themselves back into the game with oportune outside shooting. The Brewers shot 11-27 from three-point range, and a pair of threes by senior Brian Butterworth (Hamilton, MA/Hamilton-Wenham) and Black gave Vassar its first lead since early in the second half, 62-60, with eight and a half minutes remaining.

The game was tied at 66-66, but a fast break jumper in the line by Wopperer with 5:02 gave the Saints a 68-67 lead, one that they would not relinquish.

In addition to St. Lawrence's advantage inside, the Brewers had difficulty stopping the Saints in transition. St. Lawrence out-scored Vassar 20-0 on fast break points.

A day after Vassar shot 6 for 13 from behind the arc in the second half of a comeback victory over Clarkson, the Brewers were again on fire from outside. Davis gave Vassar its first lead of the game and much needed momentum. His three-pointer with 12:27 remaining in the first half put the Brewers ahead 20-18.

After St. Lawrence went on a run keyed by Wopperer, the Brewers proceeded to claw back from an 8-point deficit late in the first half thanks to treys by senior Matt Nunn (Lower Gwynedd, PA/Abington Friends) and junior Casey Black (Littleton, CO/Chatfield) in the final two minutes, tying the game at 43-43 heading into the break.

For the Brewers, Nunn scored 20 points and Davis had 14. Senior point guard Lenny Holt (Watertown, MA/Watertown) added seven assists for Vassar, who are currently two games out of a playoff spot with nine Liberty League games left to play.

In addition to Wopperer, who scored at will both inside the paint and with his jump shot, St. Lawrence was led by senior center Bela Vonnak (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie High School), who had 12 points of 5-of-6 shooting, and freshman Garrett Sharlow (Massena, NY/Massena Central), who contributed twelve points while shooting 5-of-7. Overall, the Saints shot 53.2 percent from the floor, mostly on short-range shots.

It was Alumni weekend for Vassar men's basketball and a host of former Brewers stars dating back to the Class of 1980 were in attendance, including Evan Hannay '07, Tyson Brazell '08, and reigning Liberty League Player of the Year Lawrence Avitabile '08.