Skidmore wins Libery Title - Feb 28, 2016

The Skidmore College men's basketball team shook off a determined St. Lawrence effort to win its second straight and fourth Liberty League championship in the last six years, 72-68.
The Thoroughbreds (18-8) will take a six-game winning streak into the NCAA Division III Tournament that begins Thursday or Friday. The tournament field will be announced on NCAA.com on Monday at 12:30 p.m.
Tournament MVP Edvinas Rupkus (6'4''-G) led the Thoroughbreds with a game-high 22 points. The talented freshman shot 6-for-9 (66.7 percent) from the floor and 10-for-11 (90.9 percent) from the free throw line. Royce Paris (6'0''-PG) came off the bench to score a season-high 19 points. Jack Morrow (6'4''-G) added 10 of his own off the bench. Nick Volpe (6'5''-F) had a game-high eight rebounds, including two key offensive boards in the second half.
"First I want to commend St Lawrence. I think they are a great basketball team that is so well coached. We had to beat a really good team tonight," said Skidmore head coach Joe Burke .
"As for this team, it's truly a testament to their character, hard work and most importantly their resiliency. As a team we dealt with adversity early both personally and on the court. We lost an All-American, a captain and an incredible basketball player back in November (Aldin Medunjanin to a season-ending injury) but this group kept improving and coming together. We had to make some sacrifices early on but they stayed committed to making this team the best it could possibly be in February. Our veterans took increased leadership roles and our new guys had the attitude to help in anyway possible."
Kyle Kobis led the Saints (14-12) with 16 points, 14 coming in the second half. Kyle Edwards (6'3''-G) scored 12 to go along with six assists and Dom Deregis (6'3''-G) scored 11 off the bench.
Skidmore seemed in control as the first half wound down with Rupkus scoring nine of the team's first 19 points for a 19-12 lead with 8:51 left. The Thoroughbreds pushed the lead to 11, 36-25 with 2:02 to play, but allowed an Edwards buzzer beater to go into the intermission up 36-27.
The Saints caught fire in the second half, opening the half with a 15-5 run, capped by a DeRegis three to take 42-41 lead with 15:45 left. Skidmore scored the next seven points to back in front 48-42 at 12:49.
St. Lawrence battled back to eventually go back in front 62-60 on another three from DeRegis with 4:21 to play. The Saints stretched the lead to four, their largest of the game at 66-62 with 2:59 left.
Skidmore never panicked and the partisan standing-room-only crowd of more than 1,300 saw Rupkus take over with a layup and then a pair of free throws to tie it 66-66 at the 2:02 mark. After a missed Saint three, Paris went the distance for a lay-up and 68-66 Thoroughbred lead.
The Saints tied it again on a pair of Kaleb Faison free throws with 47 seconds left. But Rupkus was fouled on a drive to the basket and sank a pair of free throws with 26 seconds remaining to put the Thoroughbreds ahead to stay, 70-68.
St. Lawrence had a chance to take the lead in the closing seconds, but a three-point attempt by Riley Naclerio was just off the mark with eight seconds remaining. Paris chased down the rebound and was fouled with three seconds left. He calmly sank both free throws to extend the margin to four.
Joining Rupkus on the All-Tournament Team were teammates Paris and Erik Sanders (6'5''-F) with Deshon Burgess (6'4''-G) of Union, and Naclerio and Edwards of St. Lawrence.

Courtesy of Liberty League Athletics

Liberty Tournament Final: Skidmore - St. Lawrence 72-68
Liberty Tournament Semifinals:
Skidmore - Vassar 82-71
Union - St. Lawrence 85-91