GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College basketball team used a strong defensive effort to win its home opener 70-58 over the University of Scranton in Bristol Gym tonight. The Statesmen handed the Royals their first loss of the season with a strong defensive effort and a second half offensive surge.
 
Sophomore guard Jamal Lucas led three Hobart players in double figures with 17 points as well as seven rebounds. First-year guard Tucker Lescoe added 13 points, all after halftime, and sophomore guard Colin Dougherty pitched in 12 points, a game-high five assists, and a pair of steals. Sophomore forward Matt Walsh had eight points and shared team-high honors with seven boards. Hobart (2-2) used a balanced effort on the glass to enjoy a 39-36 rebounding edge.
 
Hobart shot 43 percent from the floor and 50 percent from beyond the 3-point line while knocking down 15-of-22 free throws.
 
Scranton (5-1), which received votes in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25, was led by junior center Drew Schankweiler's 18 points and 16 rebounds, both game highs. First-year guard Kyle DeVerna added 12 points, four rebounds, and three steals off the bench.
 
The Royals began the week sixth in the country in field goal percentage (54.1) and 3-point shooting (47.6), but were held in check by the Statesmen. Scranton shot just 33 percent from the floor (28 percent in the second half) and made just 5-of-25 3-pointers (0-for-10 in the second half).
 
Hobart effectively neutralized the Royals' top two players, senior center John Vitkus (17.0 ppg, 11.6 rpg) and junior guard Ethan Danzig (16.6 ppg). The combination of tough Statesmen defense and foul trouble limited the duo to just a combined 11 points and seven rebounds.
 
The Statesmen trailed throughout the first half and into the second, facing a 39-34 deficit with less than 15 minutes remaining. Dougherty and Lucas made back-to-back layups to make it a 1-point game and first-year forward Sam Allen drained a 3-pointer to give Hobart its first lead with about 12 minutes to go.
 
Vitkus made a pair of free throws to tie the game two minutes later, but then Lescoe started to heat up. He scored his first points, a 3-pointer on the run, near the 10 minute mark. Then went on a personal 8-0 run with a pair of 3s sandwiched around a layup to turn a narrow 51-50 lead into a 59-50 advantage. Walsh kept the run going with a 3-pointer of his own to make it a 12-point lead and the Statesmen kept control of the contest down the stretch.
 
In the first half, Hobart trailed by just one, 20-19, following Pete Drescher's layup with less than nine minutes remaining. Over the next five minutes, Scranton used a 14-4 run to build its biggest lead of the half 34-23. Schankweiler keyed the run with seven of his nine first half points. Kyle DeVerna finished off the run with a steal and layup just under the four-minute mark, prompting Hobart to use a timeout.
 
The Statesmen were able to trim their deficit to just four at halftime thanks to an 8-1 run to end the half. Lucas started and finished the surge on his way to a team-high seven points at the break.
 
Hobart will be back in action on Saturday, Dec. 3, when the Statesmen host Fisher College of Massachusetts. Tipoff is at 2 p.m. Scranton will also play on Saturday, hosting Juniata at 4 p.m.