GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College basketball team scored the first 21 points of the game on the way to a 77-52 Liberty League win over Vassar College in Bristol Gym this afternoon. The Statesmen evened their record at 8-8, 4-3 in conference play, while the Brewers slipped to 7-9, 3-4.
 
Hobart shooters were on fire early, making nine of their first 13 shots, but the visitors struggled mightily, missing their first 10 field goal attempts. First-year Jamal Lucas led the way, scoring 6 points in the opening run. He enjoyed another sterling performance, recording 16 points, a season-high seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
 
Senior Erikson Wasyl broke up the shutout with a 3-pointer eight minutes into the game. First-years Alex Loyd, Colin Dougherty, and Harrison DeMaira then scored in succession to give Hobart its biggest lead of the first half, 28-3. Dougherty matched Lucas' 16-point effort and added seven rebounds and three steals.
 
The Brewers rattled off a 10-0 run that included two triples by Wasyl to trim Hobart's lead to 12, 28-16, with more than six minutes left before halftime. Wasyl finished with a team-high 14 points.
 
The Statesmen were able to maintain their double digit lead for the rest of the half, going to the locker room with a 38-27 lead.
 
With back-to-back buckets to start the second half, Vassar crept within seven of Hobart, but the Statesmen reasserted their dominance with the next 10 points, 6 by Lucas, to stretch their lead to 48-31. Wasyl made two free throws to stop the run, but Hobart countered with a 3-pointer by first-year Justas Valciukas followed by a layup by Dougherty, and a triple by Lucas, pushing the lead over 20, where it stayed for the rest of the contest.
 
The Statesmen shot 48 percent from the floor, canned 12 3-pointers, and made 7-of-8 at the free throw line. Sophomore Luke Ruddy and junior Pete Drescher scored 12 and 11 points, respectively. First-year Matt Walsh grabbed a game and season-high nine rebounds to lead Hobart to a 39-33 edge on the glass.
 
Sophomore Jesse Browne scored 11 points for Vassar. Paul Grinde grabbed a team-high seven boards.
 
On Tuesday, Jan. 26, Hobart will travel to Union for its next game, while Vassar will play at Bard on the same day. Both games are scheduled to start at 8 p.m.