SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The 25th-ranked Hobart College basketball team weathered a pair of fire half fire alarms and a desperate comeback attempt by Skidmore College to extend its winning streak to a program record tying 13 games tonight. Led by junior Colin Dougherty's game-high 22 points, the Statesmen knocked off the Thoroughbreds 78-62 to clinch the top seed in the Liberty League Tournament.
 
Hobart, which hasn't lost since Dec. 30, got off to a strong start. Skidmore opened the game with a 3-pointer, but the Statesmen (19-3, 14-1) answered with 12 straight points, part of a larger 17-2 run. First-year Dan Masino was hot in the early going, scoring nine of his team's first 14 points. He finished the contest with 18 points, seven rebounds and a game-high five assists.
 
Hobart led 18-10 when the Williamson Center had to be evacuated for the first fire alarm of the night. After a several minute delay, the teams and spectators returned to the gym. When play resumed, the Statesmen went right back to work, outscoring their hosts 26-13 to build a 44-23 lead. Dougherty accounted for 11 points between the first fire alarm and the second which interrupted action with just over a minute remaining in the first half.
 
This time when play resumed, junior Jamal Lucas sank a pair of free throws, but the Thoroughbreds accounted for the final five points of the half to make it a 46-28 Hobart lead at the intermission. Lucas finished the night with 13 points, five rebounds and three steals.
 
Masino and Dougherty were the only players in double digits at halftime. Masino had 13 points while Dougherty had 12. The Statesmen shot 45.5 percent from the floor while limiting the Thoroughbreds to 35.5 percent shooting.
 
Skidmore (11-10, 7-8) came out of halftime at full gallop, using a 20-7 run to wipe out all but five points of Hobart's lead. Jack Byrne scored eight of his 13-points during the surge. The Statesmen lead was at eight with less than seven minutes remaining. The Statesmen sealed their victory with an 11-2 run ballooned the lead to 17 with about three minutes left. Five different players scored for Hobart during the decisive run.
 
Sophomore Tucker Lescoe added 10 points for the Statesmen, who shot 54.2 percent from the floor in the second half, 49.1 percent for the game.
 
The Thoroughbreds were led by Edvinus Rupkus' 17 points. Skidmore shot just 37.7 percent from the floor for the game.
 
Hobart will be back in action at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10 when the Statesmen visit Bard (7-15, 5-10).