GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College basketball team used a smothering defensive effort to earn a 62-53 win over Ithaca College in Liberty League action tonight. Statesmen senior Isaiah Washington scored a career-high 20 points to pace all scorers.
 
Washington was 6-of-10 from the floor and a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw line. He also pulled down eight rebounds. Junior Carter Meshanic joined him in double figures, posting 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Junior Pat Healy finished with nine points and classmate Aidan Rodgers added a game-high five assists and seven rebounds.
 
The Bombers put three players in double digits led by the 14-point efforts of junior Logan Wendell and senior Triston Wennersten. Senior Andrew Geschickter added 12 points. Wendell and junior Bryce Bleibtrey each corralled a team-high seven boards.
 
FOR THE RECORD

• Hobart improved to 14-4 overall, 7-4 in the Liberty League.
• Ithaca dropped to 10-7 overall, 5-5 in the conference.

 
KEY STATS

• Ithaca came into the game eighth in the nation in 3-pointers made per game at 10.9, but managed just four on 27 attempts against Hobart. Their 14.8% 3-point field goal percentage was the Bombers lowest of the season.
• The Statesmen also limited the visitors to their second lowest field goal percentage (.306) and second lowest point total of the season.
• Hobart, which began the weekend first in the Liberty League in rebounding margin (+4.8), dominated the glass, outrebounding Ithaca 50-35. It was the Statesmen's largest rebounding margin of the season.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Statesmen scored the first six points of the game and never trailed.
• By the midpoint of the first half, Hobart let 18-8.
• The Statesmen used a 12-2 run to stretch its lead to a game-high 18 points, 30-12. Sophomore Dorian Paki (6 pts) put an exclamation mark on the surge with a dunk that brought the Hobart faithful to their feet.
• Ithaca scored the final eight points of the first half to head into the locker room down 10, 30-20.
• The Bombers cut their deficit to eight early in the second half, but the Statesmen responded with an 11-2 run that pushed their lead to 17 with just over 13 minutes remaining.
• Ithaca made a late push that got the Bombers within seven with just under a minute to play, but Hobart went 7-of-8 at the line down the stretch to close out the win.

 
WHAT'D ZAY SAY
 
 
 
UP NEXT

• Hobart will be back on the court in Bristol Gym for a 4 p.m. tipoff against Rochester Institute of Technology (9-8, 5-5) on Saturday, Jan. 27. The Tigers were on the short end of a 59-53 decision at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute tonight.