POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 23, 2015) - Senior Brady Condlin tied for a game-high 18 points, while St. Lawrence shot 48.1% from the floor as the Saints held on to top Vassar 65-57 Friday evening. Senior Luka Ladan (Belmont, MA/Belmont) finished with a double-double on 18 points and 10 rebounds, but it was not enough as St. Lawrence made plays down the stretch to secure the win and improve to 8-7 (3-4 Liberty League) on the season. VC moves to 5-10 (1-5 Liberty League) with the loss.

With the game tied at 49 with 6:56 to play in the second half, Vassar gained the upper hand after getting a layup underneath from senior Alex Snyder (Rutland, VT/Rutland) to go ahead 51-49. The Saints quickly answered with a layup of their own from junior Kaleb Faison to even the game at 51, but a foul on VC's ensuing possession sent Snyder to the line shooting two. Snyder buried both free throws, and Brewers found themselves again up by two with 5:01 on the clock.

The tide of the game shifted in St. Lawrence's favor, after a tough layup from freshman Riley Naclerio tied the game with 4:44 left to play to regulation. The bucket was two of Naclerio's season-high 15 points on the night, and a missed VC shot on the other end had the ball back in his team's hands with a chance to take the lead.

A foul put sophomore Willie Zachery on the line, and after making both the Saints went ahead 55-53 with 4:14 to play. A slick drive to the basket with the left hand from senior Curtis Smith (Mastic, NY/Eastport South Manor) went in to tie the game at 55, but SLU again converted on a jumper from junior Leondre Simmon to go back up by two.

A clutch tip in from Naclerio on a fast break with 2:28 to play put the visitors ahead 59-55, before Ladan was able to cut the deficit back to two after hitting a jumper on the subsequent VC possession. With 49 seconds left to play, sophomore Kyle Kobis hit a dagger three pointer from the left wing to put the Saints up by five. The Brewers could not respond on the other end, and were forced to foul in the closing seconds before St. Lawrence clinched the 65-57 victory.

The Saints won the battle on the boards 42-37, and did enough at the free throw line finishing 10-20 on the night. Vassar committed a season-low seven turnovers in the game, but shot just 31.8% from the field and 29% from beyond the arc.

St. Lawrence carried a 29-28 lead into the locker room after shooting 48% from the floor in the first half. Ladan scored 14 of his 18 points and tallied seven rebounds in the opening half. Junior Erikson Wasyl (Durham, CT/Coginchaug) finished with 17 points on five three pointers and a layup. Freshman Jesse Browne (Barrington, RI/Deerfield Academy) racked up 11 points, six rebounds and four assists in his first collegiate start.

The Brewers will have an opportunity to get back in the win column tomorrow afternoon when the team hosts Clarkson University at 4:00 pm in the AFC.

-VASSAR-