Box Score SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- The Skidmore College men's basketball dropped a shootout against Middlebury College, 89-84, Saturday evening at the Williamson Sports Center.
 
The Thoroughbreds Aldin Medunjanin scored 20 second-half points for a total of 31 to lead all scorers, while adding six rebounds and five assists. Erik Sanders had 22 points and six rebounds and Connor Merrill had 11 points and five boards.
 
Matt St. Amour scored 27 points for the Panthers, Joey Kizel added 24 points, going 8-10 from the field including 4-5 from three-point range, and Hunter Merryman scored 11 points.
 
After the teams traded baskets for the opening nine minutes of play, Skidmore managed to create the first separation between the two teams with five-straight points from Medunjanin to take a 16-11 lead.
 
The teams continued to go back-and-forth over the next four minutes, with Middlebury eventually taking its first lead of the game with ten minutes to play in the first on a three-pointer by Kizel. Sanders cut Skidmore deficit to one at 28-27, hitting a three-pointer from the corner with five minutes to play in the first.
 
The Panthers continued to knock down their shots over the final four minutes of the first, closing the half with a 14-7 run to take a 42-34 lead into the break.
 
The Thoroughbreds cut the Middlebury lead to two with an 8-2 run to start the second. Merrill drove in for a layup for the first basket of the half, Brian Moore knocked down a deep three and Medunjanin got a layup to fall while getting fouled.
 
St. Amour managed to kill the Skidmore momentum, hitting back-to-back threes on the next two Panthers possessions, giving Middlebury a 53-44 lead.
 
Down eight with 13 minutes to play, Sanders started another Thoroughbreds rally, making a tough a layup to open a 7-0 run that brought Skidmore within one at 56-55.
 
The Panthers immediately responded with a 15-4 run of their own, taking a 71-59 lead with seven minutes remaining. St. Amour increased the Middlebury lead to 14 with under five minutes to play, driving in from the wing for a layup.
 
Medunjanin brought the Thoroughbreds back within striking distance with under three minutes remaining, rattling off seven-straight points to cut the Panthers lead to 77-72, but with Skidmore forced to foul late in the game, Middlebury converted on its free throws down the stretch to hold on for the 89-84 win.

The Thoroughbreds (3-2) return to action 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11 at Ithaca College.