HENRIETTA, N.Y.—The Hobart College basketball team used an 18-5 second half run to break away from Rochester Institute of Technology in a Liberty League game in Clark Gymnasium tonight. The Statesmen improved to 7-3 overall, 2-1 in the conference while the Tigers fall to 4-6, 2-1.
 
Four Statesmen reached double digits in the scoring column led by junior Jamal Lucas' game-high 17 points. Sophomore Tucker Lescoe made a game-high three 3-pointers on his way to a 15-point night. Sophomore Sam Allen netted 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds. First-year Dan Masino had 10 points.
 
Three Tigers finished in double figures paced by Troy Pierre-Louis' 15 points. Anthony Lewis and Robert Aguilera added 14 points and 10 points, respectively.
 
Hobart's decisive charge came over an eight-minute span in the late stages of the game. Clinging to a 55-53 lead, the Statesmen got a traditional 3-point play to stretch the lead to five about midway through the second half. The Tigers got a bucket at the other end of the floor, but Masino followed with consecutive layups and Allen sank a pair of free throws to inflate the lead to 64-55. An RIT free throw interrupted the Hobart surge, but Hobart countered with a Lucas layup, a 3-pointer from junior Colin Dougherty and a layup for Dougherty to make it a 71-56 lead.
 
Lewis' layup just under the four minute mark was the first field goal by the home team in nearly six minutes, but Lucas made a pair at the line to restore the visitors' 15-point advantage. Hobart's lead remained in double digits for the rest of the contest.
 
The teams played the first 20 minutes to a stalemate, heading into the locker room knotted at 35. Lewis led all scorers with 10 points while Lescoe paced the Statesmen with eight. Hobart had the biggest lead of the first half, using an 11-3 run to take a 33-25 advantage, but RIT ended the half on a 10-2 run to forge the tie.
 
The Statesmen will be back in action at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6 at Ithaca (8-2, 3-0).