POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 17, 2016) –  In its final home game of the season, the Vassar College men's basketball team kept its playoff hopes alive with a 72-69 victory over Bard College.

Only the top four teams get into the Liberty League Tournament, and Vassar is fighting Rochester Institute of Technology for the final spot. The Brewers' win paired with the Tigers' loss Wednesday night gives both teams a 12-12 overall and an 8-7 conference record. Even if both teams win in their seasons' finale, Vassar would make it to the tournament, having swept RIT this year.

"(Vassar) was a team that was picked to finish last, and here we are in the final weekend of the season playing to get in the tournament," coach BJ Dunne said.

Vassar's victory over Bard (9-15, 6-9 Liberty League) was truly a collaborative effort, as four Brewers scored in double digits. Junior Mickey Adams (Boston, MA/St. Sebastian's School) paced the Brewers with 18 points and six rebounds.

"I thought Mickey was great," Dunne said. "He gave us some much-needed points and production."

Sophomore Jesse Browne (Barrington, RI/Deerfield Academy) and senior Erikson Wasyl (Durham, CT/Coginchaug) scored 13 points apiece, while freshman Paul Grinde (Virginia Beach, VA/Cape Henry Collegiate School) added 10. Freshman Alex Seff (Arlington, VA/Washington-Lee) and junior Ryan Huegel (Briarcliff Manor, NY/Briarcliff) came through in clutch situations, totaling eight points apiece as well.

Both teams shot roughly 51 percent from the floor. Vassar outscored Bard from beyond the arc, 18-12, and from the foul line, 16-11, but the Raptors won the rebounding battle, 28-23.

Forward Armando Dunn grabbed a game-high 11 boards, as three Raptors scored in double digits. Guard DaVahnte Mosley scored a game-high 21 points, center Brandon Cunningham finished with 16 and guard Harry Johnson chipped in with 11.

Vassar and Bard have formed a budding rivalry, as they are the two closest schools in the Liberty League in terms of distance.

"We know we always get their best shot no matter where we're playing," Adams said. "It was just great to have all our fans here. I think we have the best fans in the league."

Fans expressed continuous support for the Brewers through the many ups and downs of the contest.

The Raptors jumped out to a 7-2 lead, but the Brewers responded with 10 unanswered, highlighted by Seff's back-to-back layups.

Bard would get as close as one, 23-22, but Vassar scored eight of the next 10 points. Adams and Browne capped that span by draining consecutive triples to put the Brewers ahead, 31-24.

With five seconds left in the half, Johnson got the Raptors within four on a pair of free throws. But Browne pulled up for a 30-foot triple to beat the buzzer and give the Brewers a 29-32 edge at the break.

Bard scored 10 of the first 16 points of the second half before Vassar scored six unanswered for a nine-point lead, 51-42. But the Raptors locked in on defense, as a 13-2 surge gave them their first lead of the second half, 55-53. Mosley scored seven points in that span, including the go-ahead bucket.

"DeVahnte Mosley is one of the better players in the league. He showed it tonight," Dunne said. "We struggled to guard him, but we just made enough plays down the stretch. "

Bard kept Vassar from regaining the lead until the Brewers scored seven unanswered to get back on top. Adams hit a pair of free throws and drained a fadeaway three to top the surge, putting the Brewers ahead, 62-58.  

The Raptors would get within two points five more times, but the Brewers held on for the win.

"This gives us momentum," Dunne said. "We're playing for something on the final day of the season… We've played some really good teams this year, and everything was to prepare us for this game on Sunday."

The Vassar men's basketball team wraps up the regular season in Troy, NY when it plays Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. Meanwhile, RIT will be Schenectady, NY where it will face will Union College at 5 p.m.