LANCASTER, Pa.—Junior guard Tucker Lescoe scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Hobart College basketball team to a 68-65 season-opening victory against Stevens Institute of Technology in the first game of the William Marshall Tip-Off Tournament tonight. Trailing by four inside the final two minutes, the Statesmen scored the final seven points of the game to secure the win.
 
Stevens' Alec DiPietrantonio made a pair of free throws with 1:51 remaining to give the Ducks (1-1) a 65-61 lead. It capped his team-leading 16-point night. Sophomore Jack Lesure answered for Hobart with a layup at the other end of the floor. Senior Jamal Lucas narrowed the margin to one at the free throw line with 44 seconds to go. The Statesmen took advantage of a Duck turnover to take the lead on Colin Dougherty's layup with 23 seconds left.
 
Stevens didn't get a shot to retake the lead, committing their 24th turnover of the night. Lescoe made it a three-point Hobart lead with a pair of free throws with nine seconds left and the Ducks' 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark.
 
Hobart found itself in a nine-point hole six minutes into the game, but after a timeout, the Statesmen went on a 16-2 run to take the lead on the way to a 30-27 halftime advantage.
 
In the second half, Hobart led by as many as nine, but the Ducks rallied to reclaim the lead, setting the stage for the Statesmen's comeback.
 
Lescoe finished the night 9-of-16 from the floor with three 3-pointers. He also grabbed five rebounds and made two steals. Dougherty and Lucas each contributed 11 points. Junior Sam Allen collected a team-high six boards.
 
While the Statesmen shot 37.5 percent from the floor to the Ducks' 44.8 percent, Hobart made up the difference and more at the free throw line. The Statesmen were 22-for-24 at the line, sinking twice as many free throws as Stevens.
 
Spencer Cook joined in double digits for Stevens, logging 13 points and a game-high four steals. Ryan Coffey chipped in eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds. The Ducks had a 36-31 advantage on the glass.
 
Hobart will face the host Diplomats in the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 17. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.