GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College basketball team earned its third straight win with an 89-86 Liberty League victory over Ithaca College in Bristol Gym this afternoon. The Statesmen scored the final three points of the contest while the Bombers missed their last three shots from the field in the final minute.
 
Hobart senior Jamal Lucas recorded a game-high 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 1-for-1 from 3-point range, and 5-for-5 at the free throw line. He also led the Statesmen to a 40-26 rebounding advantage, collecting a game-high 13 caroms. Senior Colin Dougherty added 19 points and a team-high four assists. Junior Tucker Lescoe made a team-high four 3-pointers on his way to 16 points. Junior Edens Fleurizard chipped in 11 points.
 
The Statesmen (6-5, 3-1) shot a season-high 58.3 percent from the floor, including an eye-popping 70.4 percent in the second half.
 
Ithaca had three players in double figures, led by Riley Thompson's 23 points. Peter Ezema scored 20 points, grabbed a team-high nine boards, and made a game-high four steals. Bryan Karl gave the Bombers 15 points, including four triples, off the bench.
 
Ithaca (6-5, 2-2) ended the first half on an 11-1 run to take a 48-37 lead into the locker room. Karl connected from long range twice during the finishing flurry helping the Bombers build their largest lead of the game.
 
Hobart came out of the break on fire, making its first eight shots from the field. A 13-2 run to start the half tied the game at 50. Dougherty and Lucas both recorded five points in the opening surge. Ithaca was able to regain the lead and push its advantage back into double digits, 70-60, but another 13-2 run by the Statesmen put the home team in front by one. Dougherty had six points during this comeback.
 
Hobart took its largest lead of the game, 84-78, on a pair of free throws by Lucas with under four minutes to go. Thompson hit a 3-pointer with about a minute and a half left to forge the seventh and final tie. Twenty seconds later, Dougherty made 1-of-2 at the free throw line to put the Statesmen back in front for good. Over the next minute, Ithaca missed three shots that would have put the visitors back in front. Lucas closed out the scoring, making two free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining.
 
The Bombers didn't get a chance to tie as senior Sean McKinless intercepted the inbounds pass to seal the win.
 
Hobart will close out its eight-game homestand on Tuesday, Jan. 8. The Statesmen will host Rensselaer (7-4, 2-2) at 8 p.m. Ithaca will wrap up a five-game road trip on the same day, visiting RIT (3-8, 0-4).