GENEVA, N.Y. - Senior Jackson Meshanic tallied a double-double with 30 points and 10 rebounds for the third-seeded Hobart College as the Statesmen defeated the sixth-seeded Vassar College Men's Basketball team 83-61 in the First Round of the Liberty League Championship on Tuesday night. Hobart advances to the semifinals where they will take on second-seeded St. Lawrence at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.

The Statesmen raced out to an early 14-3 lead at the 14:42 mark as J. Meshanic tallied 11 of the early points for Hobart. Vassar trimmed the lead down to nine twice in the first half, first on a jumper from senior Zev Katz at the 12:15 mark and a second time with 10:32 to go in the half on a bucket from senior Ethan Ellis. The Statesmen grew their lead to 21 points with 4:16 remaining in the half on a three-pointer from J. Meshanic as the Brewers reduced the lead down to 17 heading into halftime on a jumper from sophomore Luke Adams. 

An early three-pointer from senior Kevin McAuliffe took the Hobart lead down to 14 but the advantage grew to 20 once again on a three-pointer from Aidan Rodgers with 14:46 to go. Following a bucket from J. Meshanic with 9:13 left in regulation, Vassar rattled off a 13-4 run to get within 10 points at the 5:48 mark. Senior Avni Mustafaj tallied six points during the spurt while Adams and Katz each knocked down a triple for Vassar. After two free throws from J. Meshanic, an Adams jumper put the lead at 10 once again but Hobart answered with a 14-4 run, capped by a triple from Andrew Lynch that put the Statesmen up 79-59 with two minutes left in regulation.

Adams scored a team-high 18 points off the bench on 6-for-8 from the field and added four rebounds. Senior Jack Rothenberg totaled 15 points and eight rebounds while Mustafaj tallied 11 points, three boards and three assists. Ellis chipped in eight points and two rebounds for Vassar.

J. Meshanic finished with a game-high 30 points on 10-for-16 from the floor and added 10 boards and four assists. Lynch tallied four made threes for his 12 points while Carter Meshanic finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Rodgers recorded eight points, four assists and two rebounds for the Statesmen.

The Brewers finished at 38.8-percent shooting from the field and knocked down five triples while Hobart shot 52.6-percent overall and made 11 three-pointers. Vassar outscored the Statesmen by six at the free throw line but Hobart held the edge in points in the paint at 32-20 and points off turnovers at 9-1.

Vassar's season concludes with a 13-13 record while Hobart heads north to take on St. Lawrence in the Liberty League Championship Semifinals on Friday evening.