GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College basketball team entered tonight's Liberty League opener looking to shake off a pair of losing streaks.
 
Mission accomplished as the Statesmen never trailed in a 73-66 win over defending Liberty League champion Union College.
 
Hobart had dropped three in a row after a season-opening victory over Stevens. The Statesmen had also lost five in a row to the Dutchmen. Those streaks are over now.
 
Junior Tucker Lescoe produced a game-high 17 points, grabbed six rebounds, and doled out a team-high four assists to lead the Statesmen (2-3, 1-0). Classmate Edens Fleurizard added 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Senior Jamal Lucas had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting and 2-of-3 at the free throw line. Senior Sean McKinless added 10 points.
 
Union (3-1, 0-1) also put four players in double figures led by sophomore Jackson Mannix's 15 points. First-year Mike Concannon scored 13 points, senior Brendan Laing had 11 points and sophomore Nate Freeman scored 10 off the bench.
 
The Statesmen enjoyed a 38-31 advantage on the glass. Senior Colin Dougherty led all carom collectors with nine. Hobart also had a decisive edge at the free throw line. The Statesmen earned nearly twice as many trips to the stripe than their guests (30-17) and outscored them 21-12.
 
Hobart scored the first five points of the game. Fleurizard cashed in on a layup to start the scoring. On the Statesmen's second possession, Lescoe was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer and made all three of his free throws. Hobart's was just three with under seven minutes remaining in the first half, but the Statesmen used a 12-3 run over the next five minutes to build a 12-point lead. Lescoe and Fleurizard each contributed four points to the surge.
 
Hobart led 39-29 at halftime.
 
The Statesmen maintained a double digit advantage through the first 13 minutes of the second half, but the Dutchmen made a late push to keep things interesting. A 9-2 run capped off by a 3-pointer from junior Kevin Jefferson made it a 66-62 game with under three minutes left.
 
Lescoe hit a jumper with just over two minutes left to push Hobart's lead back to six. Twice more in the waning seconds Union got within four, but each time the Statesmen answered to keep control of the game.
 
The Statesmen are home again tomorrow, taking on Vassar at 4 p.m. The Brewers (2-3, 0-1) were on the short end of an 87-68 decision at Ithaca tonight. The Dutchmen will travel to RIT (2-3, 0-1) tomorrow.