SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Vassar College men’s basketball team resumed its Liberty League slate with a matchup at Skidmore on Wednesday night. In the fifth contest of their season-long nine-game road trip, the Brewers (3-5, 1-2 Liberty) dropped a 94-54 decision to the Thoroughbreds at the Williamson Center.
Skidmore got a three-pointer on each of its first two possessions and led 17-5 barely five minutes in. The Brewers cut the margin to eight at 24-16 with 8:28 left until halftime, but the Thoroughbreds ended the half on a 21-7 run to extend their cushion to 22 points, 45-23, at the break.
After Alex Seff sank a trey to open the second half, Skidmore rattled off eight straight points to increase its lead to 53-26. Vassar pulled within 56-35 on a Kyle Kappes three-pointer with 14:43 remaining, but the Brewers would get no closer. The Thoroughbreds’ advantage reached a game-high 42 points at 94-52 before a Neville Lee layup capped the scoring in the 94-54 Skidmore victory.
Paul Grinde notched a team-best 13 points to go along with four rebounds and two blocks. Seff talied 11 points, while David Stevenson handed out three assists. Kappes finished with five rebounds and three steals, and Zach Bromfeld also pulled down five boards. Vassar shot 37 percent (20-of-54) from the field, 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from long range, and 33.3 percent (5-of-15) at the charity stripe.
Noah Meren paced the Thoroughbreds with 23 points. He added five rebounds, five steals and four assists. Edivans Rupkus posted 19 points and six rebounds, while Chase Ta registered 13 points and five assists for Skidmore. Greg Skoric grabbed six boards, as the Thoroughbreds held a 41-29 advantage on the glass. Skidmore was 34-for-62 (54.8 percent) from the floor, 15-for-32 (46.9 percent) from three-point land, and 11-for-13 (84.6 percent) at the free throw line.
Vassar will now have more than two weeks off before returning to action. The Brewers take on Anna Maria (3-7) in the opening game of the Utica College Basketball Classic at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29.