Zhang’s Career High Propels Vassar to Victory

POUGHKEEPSIE – Junior Eric Zhang recorded a career-high 18 points and the Vassar College Men’s Basketball team held St. Lawrence to just 25.9-percent shooting to soar to a 70-44 Liberty League victory on Saturday afternoon at the Athletics and Fitness Center. The Brewers record improves to 8-3 overall and 4-0 in conference play, marking the first 4-0 start in Liberty League play since 2021-22, while the Saints drop to 5-8 on the season and 3-3 in conference action.

First Half
Vassar went ahead 8-4 early behind two triples from sophomore Will Gregory and senior Sacha Greenberg and a bucket from first year Gyasi Zinn.

Colton Suriano’s three-pointer tied the game at 10 until the Brewers pulled in front by six at 21-15 on threes from Greenberg and sophomore Parker Neuenhaus at the 6:25 mark.

The Brewers held the Saints to just one point in the final seven minutes of the first half as four consecutive points from Neuenhaus gave Vassar a 27-16 lead at the halftime break.
VC was held to 24.4-percent from the field while connecting on three-pointers in the first half.

SLU was limited to just 17.2-percent overall in the opening 20 minutes and converted on 3-for-11 from the three-point line.

Second Half
The Brewers lead ballooned to 34-16 to open the second half following a 7-0 run, led by five points from Neuenhaus and a bucket from junior Shea Fitzgerald.

Four points from Zhang and a jumper from junior Sebastian Medina pushed the Vassar lead to 42-20 with 14:30 left in regulation.

SLU’s 9-2 run trimmed the lead to 44-31 on two free throws from Tommy McMahon at the 11:46 mark.

Back-to-back threes from Gregory and a lay-in from Greenberg increased the lead back to 21 points with 10:19 remaining in the second half.

St. Lawrence got back within 15 with just under seven minutes left on a three-pointer from Suriano.

Vassar went on a 7-0 run over the next four minutes, led by four points from Zhang and three from Medina, to go ahead 65-40.

Five straight points from first year Kas Mirza gave Vassar its largest lead of the game at 70-44 to close the conference victory.

The Brewers closed the second half shooting 48.5-percent from the field while connecting on 6-of-12 from beyond three-point territory.

SLU finished the final 20 minutes shooting 34.5-percent overall and made just 2-for-9 from three-point range.

For The Brewers
Zhang led the way with a game-high 18 points off the bench on 7-for-9 shooting and a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range.

Neuenhaus tallied 16 points (7-for-11), six rebounds and a block along with Gregory recording nine points and five rebounds.

Medina recorded five points, five assists and eight rebounds while senior Nathan Denham collected a team-high nine rebounds.

Greenberg chipped in eight points and four rebounds off the bench along with Zinn registering six blocks, which ties the single game program record, and seven rebounds.

For The Saints
Adam Dudzinski finished with seven points, five boards and two steals while Dan Anderson posted seven points.

McMahon tallied five points, four assists and three rebounds along with Suriano and Connor Parkes recording six points off the bench.