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Carter Meshanic drives to the basket against Union.
KEVIN COLTON

Statesmen to host Tigers in Liberty League semifinal

2/22/2024 5:00:00 PM

By: Ken DeBolt
GENEVA, N.Y.—The top-seeded Hobart basketball team will welcome fourth-seeded Rochester Institute of Technology to Bristol Gym for a Liberty League Tournament semifinal beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23.
 
Admission to Bristol Gym is free to all spectators. The game will be webcast on HWS All-Access and broadcast live on WHWS-FM (105.7).
 
Hobart finished the regular season with a 20-5 overall record. The Statesmen earned a share of the Liberty League regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the tournament going 13-5 in league play. Hobart received a bye to the semifinal round.
 
RIT brings a 14-12 record to Geneva. The Tigers went 9-9 in conference play. RIT rallied from a 13-point second half deficit to defeat Union 74-71 in the first round of the Liberty League Tournament on Tuesday.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE STATESMEN
  • Hobart has won eight of its past nine games and is 12-0 in Bristol Gym this season. It's the first time the Statesmen have finished the regular season with an unblemished record on their home court since 2000-01.
  • Since the Liberty League first instituted a postseason tournament in 1999-2000, Hobart is making its 15th appearance in the tournament, and has earned the No. 1 seed for the seventh time. The Statesmen are 13-11 in the conference postseason, capturing the league title in 2001, 2013 and 2014.
  • This year's team leads the league in free throws made per game (15.1), rebounding margin (+6.0) and winning percentage (.800).
  • Five Statesmen are averaging 10 or more points per game, led by junior Pat Healy (12.7).
  • Junior Aidan Rodgers is second on the team in scoring (11.8 ppg), leads the league in free throw percentage (.853), and paces the team with 85 assists and 38 steals.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
  • RIT has won two in a row and three of its last four. The Tigers are 5-7 outside of Clark Gymnasium.
  • RIT joined the Liberty League in 2011-12. The Tigers are making their third appearance in the conference tournament and sport a 2-2 playoff record after Tuesday's win over the Garnet Chargers.
  • RIT leads the Liberty League in field goal percentage (.447), assists per game (14.7) and turnovers per game (11.4).
  • Junior Josiah Turner leads the conference with seven double-doubles. He's averaging 9.4 ppg and a team-leading 7.1 rpg.
  • Senior Matt Caggiano paces the Tigers' offense at 12.4 ppg.
 
SERIES HISTORY
  • Friday will mark the 100th meeting between Hobart and RIT. The Tigers lead the overall series 52-47.
  • The teams have alternated wins and losses over the five most recent meetings, but the Statesmen have won eight of the past 10.
  • This season, the teams split the series with each side winning on its home court. RIT handed Hobart its first loss of the season with a 77-76 win in Henrietta on Jan. 5. The Statesmen exacted a measure of revenge with an 81-58 victory in Bristol Gym on Jan. 27.

 
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