Annandale-on-Hudson, NY – Two key 3-pointers late in the second half allowed the Clarkson University Men's Basketball team to build a small cushion against Bard College, and that was enough as the Golden Knights picked up a 73-66 victory in Liberty League action Friday night.

With the win, Clarkson improved to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in the Liberty League, tying for the top spot in the conference in the early going, while the Raptors suffered their first league loss, dropping to 8-3 and 3-1.

Bard started off hot in the opening minutes and took a 10-2 lead with less than five minutes off the clock, but the Knights wouldn't allow the game to get away early as the offense began to make its shots. The Golden Knights eventually came all the way back to tie the contest at 1:46 when Ryan Miles-Ferguson converted a mid-range jumper. A layup in the waning seconds from Rowan Heinze would allow Bard to go into the locker room with a five-point advantage. Clarkson shot just 4-for-17 from the 3-point line, but picked up chances with seven offensive rebounds.

The Raptors kept a small lead for the start of the second half, but freshman Braeden Burns began to assert himself with several driving layups, highlighting a 10-0 run for Clarkson. The Knights would build a seven-point lead off a 3-pointer from Steve DeRegis (50-43), only to see Bard respond with seven straight points to tie the contest once again. For the next few minutes the teams traded the lead, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Jack Dalgety and Ryan Miles-Ferguson allowed the Knights to take a four-point lead with less than three minutes to play.

In the last two minutes, Finn Cork produced some big plays, hitting two free throws, getting a rebound at the other end, and then making a shot in the final minute to put Clarkson up by six. In the last 20 seconds, Ryan Miles-Ferguson hit four free throws to close out the contest.

Ryan Miles-Ferguson finished with 20 points, his fifth game with 20 or more in the last six contests, shooting 7-for-14 from the floor. Braeden Burns was 5-for-10 from the field for 12 points, while Steve DeRegis and Finn Cork each chipped in 11 points.

For the Raptors, Rowan Heinze had 18 points on 7-for-14 shooting and Elliott Harris scored 16 points thanks to four 3-pointers.