GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College basketball team extended its winning streak to nine straight games with a 79-50 victory over Rochester Institute of Technology this afternoon. The victory, coupled with Ithaca's loss at Union today, gives the Statesmen a three game lead in the Liberty League standings.
 
Junior Colin Dougherty scored a game-high 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting. He made both of his 3-point attempts and went 2-for-4 at the free throw line. Dougherty also had a game-high four assists. Sophomore Tucker Lescoe was the only other player in the game to reach double figures, scoring 12 points, including 10 before halftime. Sophomore Edens Fleurizard chipped in nine points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
Hobart (15-3, 10-1) shot 49 percent from the floor and 74 percent at the free throw line, making more free throws (23) than the Tigers attempted (21). The Statesmen made a season-high 15 steals, including five from Lescoe and four more from first-year Dan Masino.
 
RIT (8-10, 6-5) ran 17 different players into the game, with 15 recording points. Sophomore Will Atkinson had a team-high six points. Sophomore Robert Aguilera added four points and a team-high seven rebounds. The Tigers shot a season-low 25 percent from the floor and committed season-highs in turnovers (23) and fouls (25).
 
Hobart set the tone right from the opening tip, scoring the game's first 10 points. Lescoe led the opening flurry with a 3-pointer and a layup. Aguilera broke up the shutout at the 15:45 mark on a layup. But the Statesmen answered with consecutive buckets for a 14-2 advantage. Only once in the remainder of the contest, did the Tigers get within as few as eight points—on an Atkinson 3-pointer at the 7:50 mark of the first half. Just like the first time RIT made it an eight-point game, Hobart countered with back-to-back layups. This time, Dougherty made both shots for a 24-12 lead and the Statesmen maintained a double digit advantage for the rest of the game.
 
Hobart took a 35-16 lead into halftime and led by as many as 34 in the second half.
 
The Statesmen play the middle game of their five-game homestand on Tuesday, Jan. 30, when they host Rensselaer (9-8, 4-6). Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.