Box Score

GENEVA, NY (January 22, 2010) – Hobart College built an 18 point first half lead, capitalizing on 11 Vassar College turnovers and sub-40 percent shooting from the floor by the Brewers to build the necessary cushion needed to secure a 76-55 victory in Liberty League action Friday night at Bristol Gym.
 
The loss drops the Brewers to 2-12, 0-4 in the league with a 4:00 p.m. game at Hamilton on Saturday. The Statesmen improve to 9-6, 2-2 in league play and will host Rensselaer tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. 

Hobart led from buzzer-to-buzzer in defeating a Vassar team that welcomed back senior guard Casey Black to the lineup after suffering an injury in the second game of the season against Endicott College, along with freshman guard Jon Herzog who had missed the previous three games with an injury. Playing at full strength was a positive sign for the Brewers who were searching for continuity against the Statesmen. 

After a slow offensive start for both teams – Hobart led 15-8 midway through the first half -- the Statesmen got untracked offensively and methodically grew their lead into a sizeable double figures margin of 18 points, 38-20, with 1:44 to play. Hobart's backcourt of junior Tim Llewellyn and freshman Stefan Thompson scored 24 of the Statesmen's 38 first half points on a combined 9-of-12 (75 percent) shooting from the field, including a six 3-pointers. 

Behind two free throws by Black and back-to-back buckets from sophomore guard Caleb McGraw, Vassar whittled down its halftime deficit to 38-26. The Statesmen left nothing to doubt to start the second half, increasing their lead to 16 points, 49-33, four minutes into play after sophomore forward Matt Pebole, the Liberty League's leading scorer, drained a jumper. 

At no point in the second half were the Brewers able to slice into Hobart's double figures lead and get within single digits. In his return, Black scored a career-high 15 points and McGraw chipped in 13 points. Junior center Chris Whitney tallied seven points and added seven rebounds. 

Both Llewellyan and Thompson cooled off in the second half, finishing with 13 points apiece. Junior guard Mark Bruce picked up the offensive punch, leading the Statesmen with 17 points, 11 coming in the second half, on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the floor. Junior Adam Salzmann led Hobart with seven rebounds.