Box Score GENEVA, NY -- The Skidmore College men's basketball team was knocked off by Hobart College, 68-57, in a Liberty League matchup Friday night at Bristol Gym.

Connor Merrill led the Thoroughbreds with 15 points and Gabe O'Brien and Eric Lowry each chipped in with eight points off the bench.

Skidmore (9-6, 3-3 Liberty) jumped out to an early 6-3 lead with baskets from Merrill, Tanner Brooks and Perun Kovacevic. Hobart (11-4, 5-1) responded quickly, taking control midway through the half with an 8-0 run. Trey Blanding scored four points during the surge, including two at the foul line, where Hobart finished the night with a decisive advantage. The Statesmen were 22-of-34 at the line, while the Thoroughbreds managed just 14 trips to the stripe with nine makes.  

Hobart continued to build on its lead, carrying a 29-17 advantage into halftime with a suffocating defensive effort. The Statesmen limited Skidmore (9-6, 3-3) to just 23.3 percent shooting (7-30), including 0-for-7 from beyond the arc.

Hobart used a 17-6 run to start the second half to blow the game wide open. Joe Gibbons had six points in the first six minutes of the half, while Connor Rehbaum added five. The Statesmen put the game out of reach with 11 minutes remaining, opening a 24-point lead after a pair of Richie Bonney free-throws.

Nick Volpe capped a 8-0 Thoroughbreds run in the final two minutes, but it was too little too late, as Hobart held on for the 68-57 win.

Bonney scored a game-high 21 points to go along with nine rebounds and Gibbons added 10 points for the Statesmen.

The Thoroughbreds return to action 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 at RIT.