POTSDAM, N.Y.—The Hobart basketball team struggled to find its offensive groove, falling 53-49 at Clarkson tonight. The Statesmen slipped to 13-7 overall, 7-6 in Liberty League play, while the Golden Knights improved to 10-10, 6-7.
 
Senior Carter Meshanic led Hobart with 11 points and added nine rebounds. Senior Hunter Meshanic and sophomore Dorian Paki each chipped in eight points. First-year Monty Nedd grabbed a season and team-high 11 rebounds.
 
Finn Cork paced Clarkson with a double-double on 14 points and 15 rebounds. Braeden Burns added 11 points.
 
KEY STATS

• The Statesmen shot just 30% from the floor and 47.8% at the free throw line.
• Hobart stayed in contention by controlling the boards and creating turnovers.
• The Statesmen outrebounded the Golden Knights 43-36.
• Hobart matched its season-high with 11 steals, including a season-high matching five by Nedd.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• CU got out to a 9-6 lead, but Hobart scored nine straight points to take a 15-9 lead eight minutes into the game.
• The Statesmen took their last lead of the game, 26-25, when Paki threw down a dunk with just over two minutes left in the first half.
• The Golden Knights scored the final five points of the half to carry a 30-26 lead into the locker room.
• Clarkson carried the momentum into the second half with five more unanswered points.
• Hobart used a 6-0 burst to cut the home team's lead to five, but seven straight points for the home team gave CU its largest lead of the game, 45-33.
• The Knights went more than six minutes before scoring again. Meanwhile, Hobart scored nine straight to claw back into the game. Allen Mordi led the charge with five points.
• Clarkson went 1-for-15 from the floor over the last 12 minutes and missed its last seven shots from the field, but held off the Statesmen by making 6-of-7 at the line in the final two minutes.

 
SATURDAY MATINEE

• Hobart will be back in action Saturday, Feb. 8, when it visits St. Lawrence for a 4 p.m. game.