SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—Hobart College senior guard Connor Rehbaum became the 27th Statesman to reach the 1,000-point plateau, leading the Hobart basketball team to a 70-63 conference win over Skidmore College, in front of a packed house at the Williamson Sports Center.
 
Rehbaum's second double-double of the season on game-highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds helped lift Hobart's record to 10-6, 5-2 in the Liberty League. The loss snapped the Thoroughbreds' six-game winning streak, dropping their record to 9-7, 6-1.
 
Statesmen first-year Luke Ruddy contributed 10 points, seniorAndrew Hoy added nine points and five rebounds, and senior Trey Blanding chipped in seven points and seven boards. Hobart shot 42 percent from the floor, made eight 3-pointers, enjoyed a 44-37 rebounding advantage, and committed just five turnovers.
 
Skidmore got out to a seven-point lead in the opening minutes of the first half after five straight points from Erik Sanders, but Hobart responded with a 17-5 run to take a 27-22 lead. Six different Statesmen scored during the run led by Rehbaum and sophomore Domonique Petty-Fernander who both had four points. The Thoroughbreds rallied late in the frame with a 10-3 run capped by Nanribet Yiljep's buzzer-beating 3-pointer to take a 39-36 lead into the break.
 
Rehbaum led all scorers with 11 points at halftime. The total left him five points shy of 1,000 for his career.
 
Skidmore carried the momentum into the second half, extending its lead to 10 with 17:52 to play after Sanders converted a traditional 3-point play. The Statesmen fired back with a 12-0 run that included Rehbaum's historic points. He started the surge with a 3-pointer and then scored on a tip-in on the next trip down the floor to raise his career total to 1,000 points exactly. Sophomore Pete Drescher capped the run with a layup that put Hobart up 50-48 with 14:39 remaining.
 
The score was tied three times over the next five minutes. After Skidmore's Connor Merrill knotted the score a 56-56 with 9:19 to play, Hobart took a five-point lead behind a Connor Costello layup and a Rehbaum triple.
 
The Thoroughbreds got within three on a pair of free throws from Aldin Medunjanin but the Statesmen got a made free throw from Rehbaum and a jumper from Drescher to push their advantage back to six. Skidmore did not get within a single possession for the remainder of the game. Senior Andrew Hoy provided the dagger, burying a 3 from the corner with 1:29 remaining to put the Statesmen in front 67-60. Skidmore had several looks at the basket late, but could not get its shots to fall, as the Statesmen held on for the 70-63 win.
 
The Thoroughbreds shots 36 percent from the floor with seven 3-pointers. Merrill led three Thoroughbreds in double figures with 18 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Sanders posted 14 points and Medunjanin had 12 points.
 
Hobart will be back on the court on Friday, Jan. 30, when the Statesmen visit St. Lawrence.