SCHENECTADY, NY -- Tournament Most Valuable Player Deshon Burgess scored 33 points and added five assists to lead Union College to the 2017 Liberty League Men's Basketball Championship with a 71-67 win over Hobart College at the Viniar Athletic Center Saturday afternoon. The win lifts the Dutchmen to their first league championship since February 26, 2005 when Union defeated Hamilton at Hobart.

Union is now 16-10 and awaits the announcement of the NCAA Division III tournament field on Monday afternoon at 12:30 PM Eastern. Information will be posted at UnionAthletics.com. The Statesmen finish the season 16-11. The game was played in front of a loud and boisterous crowd of 1,000 with standing room fans as well. This will be Union's fourth NCAA playoff appearance and first since current Head Coach Chris Murphy was a junior point guard in the 2004-05 season. The other NCAA appearances were in 2001-02 and 1982-83.

Burgess was joined on the All-Tournament Team by teammates Greg King and Wade McNamara. Hobart's Colin Dougherty and Pete Drescher were selected along with Riley Naclerio of St. Lawrence. Burgess scored 46 points in the two games in the tournament. King had 28 points and 12 rebounds in the tourney and McNamara had 46 points and 24 rebounds with seven assists in the two games including the semifinal win at St. Lawrence.

McNamara had his 14th double-double with a game high 11 rebounds and 10 points, while King scored 12 with seven boards. Burgess made 12 of his 13 free throw attempts and Union shot 41% for the night, 86% from the line. Union had a 41-33 rebounding advantage. Dougherty led the Statesmen with 27 points and Drescher scored 15 with a team high five boards. Hobart shot 39% for the game.

Union had a 35-32 lead at halftime. After the first points of the game came from a King three 59 second in, Hobart went on a 12-2 run and led 12-5 at 16:03 after a three pointer by Dougherty. Union went on a 10-0 run led by two threes by McNamara over a span of 2:42 for a 15-12 lead. The largest lead of the first half was seven by Union at 32-25 with 5:34 to play. Burgess had 13 at the half and McNamara had 10 with nine boards, while Dougherty scored 15 and Drescher 13 in the first 20 minutes.

It was back and forth before Hobart opened it up to an eight point lead at 53-45 with 11:39 to go after a Dougherty layup. It was s six point lead at 57-51 with 9:01 left after a Matt Walsh layup, but Union got two straight three pointers by Kevin Weckworth to tie it at 57-57. Hobart went on another run, this one at 7-1 for a 64-58 lead with 4:22 to play. Luke Ruddy had five points in that run. But Burgess hit a three and then a jumper and the lead was down to one at 64-63, and he tied it then gave them the lead with two free throws with 1:42 left. He later made another for a two point lead with 45 seconds left but Dougherty's layup with 39 seconds remaining tied it at 66-66. Dougherty made a free throw for Hobart's 67-66 lead with 39 seconds left, but Burgess came back with a three pointer with 16 seconds remaining for the 69-67 lead. He sealed the game with two free throws with two seconds remaining.