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    POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 14, 2014) – The Vassar College men's basketball team held onto a four-point lead with minutes to go despite the persistent play of Skidmore for a 71-67 win over the visiting Thoroughbreds Friday evening in the Athletics and Fitness Center Gymnasium.

    Tanner Brooks sunk a three-pointer with 43 seconds on the clock and brought the Brewer lead down to one, 68-67. With full-court pressure in effect from the Thoroughbreds (14-8, 8-5), Vassar (16-5, 8-4) was forced to burn two timeouts on the way past half-court.

    On the inbound pass from junior forward Luka Ladan (Belmont, MA/Belmont), sophomore guard Johnny Mrlik (San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius College Preparatory) found room for the open three-pointer off of a pass from junior forward Alex Snyder (Rutland, VT/Rutland) and sunk in what proved to be the final basket of the game as Skidmore's Aldin Medunjanin missed a long three with five seconds left and down 71-67.

    The score was tied eight times with nine lead changes in only the first 12 minutes of play. With Skidmore in the lead 26-24, Mrlik found Snyder for a power layup and tied the game, 26-all. That bucket sparked a 16-6 Vassar run and gave the Brewers a 40-32 halftime lead.

    The Thoroughbreds glued together a 14-4 run that began just five minutes into the second half and lasted for the better part of the next five. The spree was highlighted by Connor Merrill's four points and another six combined tallies from Erik Sanders, Quenten Howard and Medunjanin and brought Skidmore within one of the Brewers, 49-50.

    Both teams battled back and forth for the remaining 10:30 of regulation, but the Brewers' 54.5 percent three-point and 75 percent free throw second half shooting kept the lead out of the saddles of Skidmore and completed their series sweep over the Thoroughbreds for 2013-14. The last time they won a complete series against the Liberty League foes from Saratoga Springs, NY was in the 2007-08 season.

    Mrlik led Vassar with 22 points and added seven boards while dishing out four assists. Snyder was the game-high rebounder with three offensive caroms, totaling 14 on the night. He was also four possessions away from a triple-double, recording eight points and giving out seven helpers. Sophomore guard Erikson Wasyl (Durham, CT/Coginchaug) posted 16 tallies towards the Brewer total.

    The Thoroughbreds had four players in double-digit scoring. Medunjanin led the way with 18 points and was followed by Merrill (17) and both Sanders and Brooks (12).

    Vassar finished the night, shooting 52.6 percent from three-point land, 68.8 percent from the charity line and an even 50 percent from the floor. Skidmore managed only 29.2 percent from three-point range, 45.5 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from the free throw line.

    Vassar will next host Union College Saturday, February 15 at 4:00 pm for Senior Day where seniors Evan Carberry (Metuchen, NJ/Metuchen) and John Donnelly (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) where be honored in pregame ceremonies. Skidmore will make the short trip to Bard College for the same time and date tip-off.