Statesmen extend win streak to 11 with 77-60 win over Saints

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GENEVA, N.Y.—Junior Richie Bonney posted game-highs of 34 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Hobart College basketball team to its 11th consecutive victory, a 77-60 win over St. Lawrence. The Statesmen complete the regular season with a 19-6 record and win the Liberty League regular season championship for the third straight year with a 15-1 mark.

Bonney shot 13-of-21 from the field and was 8-of-11 from the line to raise his career points total to 1,095, passing Art Lambert '58 (1,068) to move into 18th place on Hobart's all-time scoring list. Senior Stefan Thompson added 19 points and a game-high six assists without a turnover. He raised his career point total to 1,599, leap-frogging Matt Pebloe '12 (1,584) and Andrew D'Eloia '95 (1,587) into fifth place. Junior Joe Gibbons added 13 points and a game-high three blocked shots for the Statesmen.

Sophomore Brady Condlin led the Saints (9-16, 7-9) with 16 points. Junior Janpeter Brase contributed 12 points and a pair of blocked shots and junior Payton Stahler logged 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds off the bench.

The first half was tightly contested. Bonney gave his team the lead, 18-16, and got the fans out of their seats with a one-handed dunk at the 10-minute mark. Five minutes later, Gibbons tied the game, 25-25, with a two-handed slam. Condlin tied the game for the sixth and final time, 29-29, with a jumper with 3:25 remaining in the first half. Hobart seized control of the contest by scoring the final eight points of the half.

The Statesmen pushed their lead into double digits early in the second half, but SLU got within four on a couple of occasions in the middle of the second half, but the Statesmen used an 11-1 run to put its lead back in double digits for good. Bonney started the surge with six straight points followed by a 3-pointer from senior Stefan Thompson.

Hobart shot 51.7 percent from the field with six 3-pointers and converted 9-of-12 at the free throw line. The Statesmen committed just six turnovers to St. Lawrence's 12, enjoying a 24-7 edge in points off turnovers. The Saints shot 41.4 percent from the floor (4-of-15 from deep) and made 8-of-15 at the line. SLU posted a slim 35-34 rebounding edge.

Hobart will host fourth-seeded Skidmore (15-10, 9-7) on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Tipoff is tentatively set for 7 p.m.