GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College senior Trey Blanding recorded career-highs of 24 points and seven steals, but third-seeded Clarkson University upended the second-seeded Statesmen 69-59 in the semifinals of the Liberty League Men's Basketball Tournament in Bristol Gym tonight.
 
Blanding was 10-of-17 from the floor and 4-of-5 at the line. He also notched five rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Senior Andrew Hoy added 13 points and three steals while classmate Connor Rehbaum produced 11 points and five boards.
 
The Golden Knights picked up their program record 20th win of the year behind senior John Coleman's double-double of 14 points and game-high 12 rebounds. Senior Dylan Hodownes had 12 points and senior Charles McAllister had 10 points.
 
Both teams shot 39 percent from the floor, but Clarkson shot 37 percent from behind the 3-point arc to Hobart's 16 percent and the Golden Knights made 22-of-28 at the free throw line. The Statesmen got just 11 trips to the line, making seven. Clarkson turned a 38-32 advantage on the glass into a 14-4 edge in second chance points.
 
Hodownes made the game's opening basket, a 3-pointer, that gave the visitors a lead they would never relinquish. Five minutes later, McAllister drained a 3 to give Clarkson a 10-2 lead. Hobart (18-8) fought back to get within three, 14-11, on sophomore Thomas Campion's 3-pointer. The Knights answered with a 3 of their own, but Blanding and Hoy made consecutive baskets to cut it to two. Clarkson responded to the threat with seven straight points to push their lead to nine. Rehbaum converted a traditional 3-point play, but CU made the final two baskets of the half to carry a 30-20 lead into the break.
 
Hobart opened the second half on a 9-2 run. Blanding's jumper at the 16:50 mark made it a 32-29 game. McAllister scored the game's next five points to push Clarkson's lead back to eight. Campion made a 3-pointer at 11:41 that got the Statesmen within four, but, over the next six minutes, the Knights used a 13-5 run to build a double digit lead. Hobart got no closer than eight down the stretch as Clarkson sealed the victory by making 14-of-16 free throws in the final two minutes.
 
Clarkson will travel to top-seeded Skidmore (18-7) on Saturday, Feb. 28 for the Liberty League Championship. The Thoroughbreds defeated RIT 72-51 in the other semifinal tonight.
 
The NCAA tournament field will be announced on Monday, March 2.