SAINTS EARN EIGHTH STRAIGHT WIN IN 72-67

VICTORY OVER VASSAR

Jan. 26: A game that included six ties and nine lead changes saw the St. Lawrence men’s basketball team prevail on Saturday, as the Saints took on a strong Vassar College squad and came out on top, defeating the Brewers, 72-67 in Liberty League action in Burkman Gym.

 

The win was St. Lawrence’s eighth consecutive win as the team improved to 10-6 overall and 5-0 in the conference, while Vassar fell to 11-3 overall and 3-2 in the League.

 

The two evenly-matched teams fought through the first 20 minutes with the Saints controlling the ball throughout the beginning of the first half. The Scarlet and Brown held a five-point lead at two different points throughout the first half, while the Brewers were able to keep it a two-possession ballgame, and in the final minutes, when the Saints were plagued with missed shots and foul,s Vassar took advantage of their opportunity to take the lead and sank two consecutive shots from three-point range to push them ahead 33-31 as the first half ended.

 

St. Lawrence immediately tied the game in the opening of the second half, as sophomore Andy Hoercher (Auburn, NY/Hotchkiss) made a jumper only 23 seconds into the final 20 minutes. Vassar made two more free throws to give them an edge again, but Hoercher repeated for the game’s sixth tie, while senior Tyler Wright (Teaneck, NJ/Paramus Catholic) followed, making ashot from the paint to give the lead back to St. Lawrence.

 

The Saints would increase their lead to six before Vassar went on a 7-0 run in just two and a half minutes before senior Tyler Shaver (Ogdensburg, NY/Ogdensburg Free Academy) would end it with a lay-up to give the Saints a 43-42 edge with 13:30 to go.

 

A free-throw by Wright made it a two-point lead before Vassar’s Matt Nunn made a shot from beyond the arc to give Vassar their fifth lead of the contest. The Saints wouldn’t respond until a minute later, when junior Ben Augliano (Clayton, NY/ Thousand Islands) would make a lay-up to give the Saints a 46-45 advantage.

 

The Brewers kept the game close with their strong offense, never giving the Saints more than a six-point lead. But the momentum of the game changed with 3:24 on the clock, with St. Lawrence only holding a 61-57 lead, as Saints’ Wright blocked a crucial lay-up by Vassar’s Nunn to prevent them from making it a two-point game.

 

That was all the excitement the Saints needed as Shaver then posted six unanswered points to give the home team their first double-digit lead of the game. St. Lawrence held an 11-point advantage with 53 seconds left, and despite a late offensive surge on the part of the Brewers, who ended the game with a 9-3 run, the Saints would walk off the court with their fifth Liberty League win of the season, edging Vassar, 72-67.

 

The Saints were led by junior co-captain Richard Williams (Kingston, NY/Kingston), who had 14 points, shooting 6-for-8 from the field and 2-for-2 from the line. Junior Bela Vonnak (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) had his first double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and tallying 11 rebounds. Both Shaver and Hoercher tallied 11 points a piece, while Augliano also added 10 points to the Saints’ effort.

 

St. Lawrence will travel to Clinton, NY next Friday night to take on conference opponent Hamilton College. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00pm.