Hobart tops Vassar 75-74 in Double-OT to claim second straight men's basketball title - Mar 4, 2014

GENEVA, N.Y. - Freshman guard Pete Drescher (6'2''-G) made a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining in the second overtime period to give Hobart College a 75-74 lead and visiting Vassar College was unable to get off a shot in the final seconds as the Statesmen secured their second straight Liberty League Tournament Championship in Bristol Gym Saturday afternoon.

Hobart (21-6) shot 47 percent from the floor and sank 16-of-24 at the foul line. The Statesmen had a slim 35-34 edge on the glass and made just six turnovers. Hobart was led by the tournament's Most Outstanding Player senior guard Joe Gibbons (6'4''-G). He was 8-of-11 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line for a game-high 23 points. He also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.

Gibbons was joined on the all-tournament team by senior forward Richie Bonney (6'6''-F) (14 pts, 7 rebs) and junior guard Trey Blanding (6 pts, 6 assts, 0 TO). Junior guard Connor Rehbaum (6'3''-G), who played limited minutes in the semifinal due to an injury, fought through the lingering pain to play 45 minutes and finish with 15 points and six boards. Drescher scored seven points, none bigger than his final two.

Vassar (19-8) shot 43 percent from the floor, including 7-of-15 from behind the 3-point line, and made 15-of-20 at the foul line. Sophomore guard Johnny Mrlik (6'4''-G/F) paced four Brewers in double figures with 18 points, including three treys, before fouling out with one minute left in the first overtime. Sophomore guard Erikson Wasyl added 15 points and four assists. Junior forward Alex Snyder contributed 13 points, a team-high seven rebounds, and a team-high six assists. Junior guard Curtis Smith recorded 12 points and three assists.

Mrlik, Wasyl, and Smith were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Hobart never trailed in the first half, but wasn't able to build much of an advantage with Bonney in foul trouble. The Statesmen led by as many as six twice in the opening half, but an 8-2 run by Vassar tied the game at 25 with 5:12 remaining. Hobart closed the half on a 7-2 run to carry a 32-27 lead into the locker room.

Gibbons opened the second half scoring with a steal and breakaway dunk that ignited a boisterous crowd. After Mrlik made a pair of free throws at the other end of the floor, Rehbaum made a layup for another seven-point lead, the largest advantage of the day for either team.

Wasyl countered with a 3-pointer that launched the visitors on a 9-2 run and tied the contest at 38. From that point on, neither team led by more than five points.

A Rehbaum triple with 8:45 left in regulation put the Statesmen up five, but Vassar struck back with an 11-2 run that put them ahead on the scoreboard, 56-52 with 2:23 left. Smith capped the run with back-to-back jumpers.

Hobart pulled even on a layup by Gibbons and a pair of freebies by Blanding. Mrlik eased the Brewers back in front with two at the line with 51 seconds to go. Once again the Statesmen pulled even, but not without some drama. Bonney earned a trip to the stripe on Snyder's fifth foul. He missed both free throws, but got his own rebound on the second miss and streaked down the lane for a layup to tie the game. Mrlik took a contested shot in the waning seconds of regulation that was off the mark. Bonney secured the rebounds, but Hobart wasn't able to get off a shot before the buzzer sounded.

In the first overtime, Gibbons made a pair of free throws (after Mrlik's fifth foul) with a minute left to put the home team up two. Smith tied the game with a pull-up jumper with 47 seconds to go. Bonney was whistled for his fifth foul, a charge that gave the ball back to Vassar with 24 seconds to work with. Smith's jumper was off the mark and Rehbaum secured the rebound. The Statesmen got the ball across half court and called timeout with 1.2 seconds left. Blanding got off a contested three that missed the mark, necessitating another five-minute period.

Wasyl gave the Brewers the largest lead of the second OT, 68-66, with an early 3-pointer. He also put Vassar up 74-73 with 23 seconds left thanks to a pair of free throws. Following a timeout, Drescher found the ball in his hands with room to run down the lane. His jumper was off the mark, but a foul sent him to the line. A 64 percent free throw shooter coming into the game, Drescher made both shots with a swish to give Hobart the lead.

With eight seconds to go, Vassar got the ball across half court, and made a pass to the left of the lane that was tipped by a Hobart player. The final buzzer sounded before either team was able to gain possession, and the Statesmen were able to celebrate.

Hobart earned its second straight automatic bid into the 62-team NCAA Championship field and third straight NCAA tournament appearance after gaining an at-large bid in 2012.

Courtesy of Liberty

Liberty Tournament Final: Hobart - Vassar 75-74
Liberty Tournament Semifinals:
Hobart - Clarkson 78-69
Vassar - Skidmore 66-62

All-Liberty 1st Team 2014

Bonney

Coleman

Gibbons

Medunjanin

Mrlik