Box Score

POTSDAM, NY (February 21, 2009) – Both the Vassar College and Clarkson University men's basketball teams needed a couple things to go their way in order for either team to clinch a Liberty League playoff spot. But regardless of other results in the league, what remained clear was that Saturday's matchup in the final regular season game of the year was a must-win for both teams. It was Clarkson who picked up the playoff-spot clinching victory, edging Vassar 63-59 at Alumni Gymnasium.

Although Vassar got what it needed in other results – a Hamilton College win over Union College – the Brewers' loss dropped them out of the playoff race with a 5-9 league record, finishing the season 10-15 overall. The Golden Knights moved to 15-10 overall and 6-8 in the Liberty League. Clarkson will face top-seeded St. Lawrence for the second year in a row in the conference tournament's opener at 8:00 pm next Friday in Canton, NY. Despite a tie for fourth place, the Knights got the nod thanks to a sweep of third-seeded Rensselaer, the fourth overall tie-breaker.

"We took their best shot," said head coach Del Harris about Clarkson, the defending Liberty League champions. "I want to commend our seniors for their leadership and setting a blueprint for our younger guys. We would never have been in this position if it weren't for Brian Butterworth, Joe Davis, Lenny Holt and Matt Nunn. They taught our younger players a lot, and we now have a foundation set for next season."

Following a slow stretch during the latter part of the first half, the Brewers faced a ten-point deficit coming out of the locker room. Vassar's field-goal drought ended quickly, however, as seniors Matt Nunn (Lower Gwynedd, PA/Abington Friends), Joe Davis (East Amherst, NY/St. Joseph's Institute), Lenny Holt (Watertown, MA/Watertown), and Brian Butterworth (Hamilton, MA/Hamilton-Wenham) combined for a quick 14 points in just over five minutes, to bring the Brewers within three, 37-34. Vassar kept up the pressure, eventually tying the game at 48-48 with 8:16 to play off a layup by freshman Caleb McGraw (Sitka, AK/Mount Edgecumbe). Clarkson regained the lead just moments later, but once again Vassar rallied back to tie the score at 56-56 with 2:06 to go in the contest. Freshman Felix Llanos (Queens, NY/Holy Cross) buried a three-pointer as the shot clock expired on the next possession, and Brandon Linton (Queens, NY/Holy Cross) was able to hold off the Brewers with several late free throws to clinch the victory.

Fresh off scoring his 1,000th career point at St. Lawrence University on Saturday, Butterworth came out hot for Vassar, making four of his first five shots in the opening seven minutes, all from the perimeter, to help the Brewers race out to an early eight-point lead. After a timeout with about 12 minutes to go before halftime, the Knights applied full-court pressure for the remainder of the half; while not forcing many turnovers, it disrupted the Brewer offense, as Vassar failed to make a field goal over the final 9:38. Over the course of those final nine-plus minutes, Clarkson outscored Vassar, 19-4, with the Brewers converting nothing but free throws, as the Knights took a 30-20 lead into the locker room.

Butterworth and Davis each finished with 16 points for Vassar, and Davis also added in eight rebounds. McGraw and Nunn added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Holt dished out four assists.

Linton finished with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks, while Brian Salanger (Syracuse, NY/West Genese) contributed 11 points. Llanos came off the bench to score 10 points. Clarkson also dominated the boards with 44 rebounds, including eight by George Koduah (Accra, Ghana/St. Augustine's College), Jonathan Hood (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas) and Keith Murray (Queens, NY/ St. John's Northwestern Military Academy (WI)).