Box Score
Game Program

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 8, 2013) – Liberty League leading Hobart College used a 13-2 run in the first 4:23 of the second half to break free from a slight 26-25 halftime lead, and defeated the Vassar College men's basketball team, 61-53 on Friday night at the Athletics & Fitness Center.

Down 60-47 with 4:12 to play, the Brewers made a strong push for a comeback, getting a pair of field goals from sophomore guard Andrew Adkins in the final four minutes, but not enough to erase the double-figures deficit.

The Statesmen, who were held to 12 points below their season average (73.6 ppg), jumped out quickly in the second half, racing to a 39-27 lead but had to weather a 10-4 spurt by Vassar that saw the Brewers hang tough and come within 43-37 with 9:48 to play. Hobart answered with a 13-6 run keyed by junior guard Joe Gibbons – who had five of those tallies – to build its lead to 56-43.

Vassar drops to 7-15, 3-10. Hobart improves to 15-6, 11-1 in the Liberty League. On Saturday, Vassar will host Rochester Institute of Technology and honor graduating senior Jon Herzog before its 4:00 p.m. game. Hobart travels to Bard for a 4:00 p.m. game.

There were two keys to Hobart's victory: The Statesmen held a 47-28 rebounding advantage and made 23 trips to the free throw line, compared to 13 for Vassar. The Brewers capably defended the perimeter, holding the Statesmen to 3 of 19 from behind the arc. In turn, Vassar went a solid 6 of 13.

The Brewers had a lead for 8:54 of the first half, and late in that first stanza, a 3-pointer by Adkins pushed Vassar into a 24-19 advantage, its largest of the game. Hobart responded with a 7-1 closing run over the final 4:34, getting four of those points from junior forward Richie Bonney in that spurt, for the 26-25 lead.

Vassar freshman forward Nick Johnson scored the first points of the second half for a 27-26 lead, but Hobart answered with a layup by junior guard Joe Gibbons, which started the 13-2 run and put Vassar in catch-up mode.

Sophomore center Alex Synder, who had eight points in the first half, finished with 11 points. Sophomore guard Curtis Smith added 11 points. Adkins chipped in with nine.

Hobart was led by Gibbons with 15 points and Bonney with 14 points and 12 rebounds.