POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 5, 2016) – The Vassar College men's basketball team opens its 2015-16 Liberty League slate this weekend, traveling to North Country to battle St. Lawrence University and Clarkson University Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. The Brewers return to action after playing two contests at the Puerto Rico Clasico in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, knocking off Gustavus Adolphus 52-51 and falling to Central College 62-55.

Game Details
Opponent: vs. St. Lawrence University (4-4, 0-0 Liberty League)
Links:
(Vassar Men's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
(St. Lawrence Men's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Canton, NY
Facility:  Ronald T. Burkman Gymnasium
Date: January 8, 2016
Time: 8 p.m.
Live Coverage: (Live Stats) - (Live Video)

Game Details
Opponent: vs. Clarkson University (4-7, 1-1 Liberty League)
Links:
(Vassar Men's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
(Clarkson Men's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Potsdam, NY
Facility:  Alumni Gymnasium
Date: January 9, 2016
Time:  4 p.m.
Live Coverage: (Live Stats) - (Live Video)

What To Look For
The Brewers open Liberty League play up North for the first time since 2010, looking to earn at least one win on the trip for the fourth time in the last five years. Since 2010, the Brewers have gone 4-8 in 12 games in North Country, but are looking to start Liberty League play strong having finished up out-of-league action. All three teams come into this week's action with four total wins, so expect some tough, grind-it-out games from these outings.

A Look At The Saints (4-4, 0-0 Liberty)
The Saints are starting to hit their stride this season, posting a three-game win streak after going 1-4 in the opening five games. St. Lawrence is 1-2 at home this year, but its last game was a 81-69 victory in front of its home crowd over SUNY Potsdam back on December 12, 2015. SLU will have gone 28 days without a game when it steps back onto the court Friday evening against the Brewers, the longest stretch of any Liberty League team competing this weekend. The Saints move the ball well on offense, posting the second-most assists per game in the conference, while also sitting second in assist to turnover ratio (1.02). SLU boasts the conference's fourth-best shooting percentage at 43.2 percent, but doesn't take many threes per game, only firing a league low 50 thus far.

St. Lawrence has four players averaging in double figures, led by the 13.9 points nightly from Kyle Edwards. Edwards is showing 52.9 percent from the field, knocking down 41.2 percent from behind the three-point line. Teammate Ben Crawford has scored 20 or more points in his last two games, averaging 13.6 points as a freshman, while Riley Naclerio is pulling in a team-high six boards per game as well as posting 11.1 points a game. Willie Zachery has a team-high 3.2 assists per game thus far this year, and Kyle Kobis is one of three players with Edwards and Naclerio to start all eight games. Head coach Chris Downs is in his 19^th season with the Saints, having won 279 games during his time in Canton.

Against SLU All-Time
Vassar is 10-21 against St. Lawrence University all-time, with the series starting back in 2001 when both teams joined the Liberty League (then UCAA). VC has won five of the last seven meetings with the two teams, though the Saints picked up both matchups last season.

A Look At The Golden Knights (4-7, 1-1 Liberty League)
Clarkson is one of six teams that started conference play last weekend, falling to Union College 66-57 before turning around to knock off Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on the road last Saturday 69-63. Clarkson started the year 1-5, but has won three of its last five games and is 1-1 on its home floor of Alumni Gymnasium this season. The Golden Knights are scoring 64 points per game this year, down over three points a game from last year's team that featured All-Liberty League first-team guard John Coleman. CU is holding teams to 67.7 points per game, third-lowest in the Liberty League, but its field goal percentage defense is second-highest in the conference at 45.4 percent. Clarkson has struggled from behind the arc this year, making 29.4 percent on attempts from deep, but has one of the conference's best home court advantage averaging 565 fans per game, tops in the League.

Junior and Poughkeepsie, NY native Derek Hart leads the Golden Knights offense so far in 2015-16, averaging 14.3 points per game after his last outing of 23 points against RPI. Teammate and fellow Mid-Hudson River product Felix Abongo is having another strong year after earning All-Liberty League Second Team last year, as he is posting 13.0 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds nightly. Junior Conrad Zampier has started all 11 games for CU, and is posting 9.9 points a game, while Drew Zlogar and Tom Nuttle are the team's top deep threats and combined on 33 made three-point attempts. Jeremy Liss has also started all 11 games for the Golden Knights, and averaged 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Against Clarkson All-Time
The Brewers series with Clarkson started the same year as it did with St. Lawrence University, and CU holds a 19-11 record against Vassar. VC is 4-11 in Potsdam against CU, with its last win coming back in 2012, a 63-54 win over the Golden Knights with Jon Herzog scoring 22 points to pace Vassar.

That's What He Said
"We are excited about conference play beginning. It is a new journey that we are prepared to embark on. Having been picked to finish last in the Liberty League Coaches Poll has instilled in us a toughness and added fuel to the fire. We are playing good basketball right now and we are confident that we can play with anyone in the conference." – Head Coach BJ Dunne

"Both teams are tough and have all-league caliber players. St. Lawrence in my opinion has the most talent in the conference and it is going to be important for us to slow their guards down and limit second-chance opportunities. They are tough defensively and it is imperative we get out to a fast start and make shots." – Head Coach BJ Dunne

"Clarkson has one of the best players in the league in Felix Abongo and he will be a tough guard. They run a good, intricate motion and we will need to be in constant communication." – Head Coach BJ Dunne

Getting Closer
With his 31 combined points in Puerto Rico, senior Erikson Wasyl (Durham, CT/Coginchaug) is now just 68 points shy of becoming the 14^th Vassar College men's basketball player to post 1,000 points in his career. With his current 15.3 points per game pace, Wasyl would eclipse the plateau Saturday, January 16 against Union College in the AFC.

Back and Forth
So far this season, the Brewers have alternated wins and losses during all nine games this campaign.

Tough To Crack
The Brewers defense this season has been solid, allowing just 66.9 points per game, which is second in the conference. VC is allowing 40.6 percent shooting from the floor, third-lowest in the Liberty League.

Triple Threat
Vassar comes into the weekend with the Liberty League's third-best three-point shooting clip, making 34.5 percent (68-197) from behind the arc. Senior Erikson Wasyl is second in the conference in three-point percentage (.411) and threes per game (2.6).

Fab Four
This season, Vassar College has had four players start all nine games, as sophomores Jesse Browne (Barrington, RI/Deerfield Academy) and Tony Caletti (Mill Valley, CA/Branson) have joined senior Erikson Wasyl and freshman Paul Grinde (Virginia Beach, VA/Cape Henry Collegiate) in the starting five.

Dyslinsanity
Freshman Mason Dyslin (Yorktown Heights, NY/Yorktown) played a career-high nine minutes the last time out against Central, chalking up career highs in points, rebounds and assists.

Dynamic Duo
Sophomore Jesse Browne and senior Erikson Wasyl are currently 1-2 in the Liberty League in minutes per game, averaging 35.6 and 35.1 minutes on the floor respectively.

40% To Freedom
The Brewers have shot the three well this season, and so far when making 40 percent or better from deep they are 3-0. Interestingly, the only two times VC has made 10 or more threes in a game, it has lost both outings (Rochester, Trinity).

Swiped
After posting fewer steals in all but one game through the first seven contests, Vassar has chalked up more thefts then its opponent in each of its last two games.

Up Next
Vassar returns home for a three-game home stand next week after its trek to North Country, opening its Liberty League home slate against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (7-4, 1-1 Liberty League) Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. in the Athletics and Fitness Center.