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Skidmore hands Saints men's hoops heartbreaking overtime loss in regular-season finale

Posted 2/17/19

Riley Naclerio led the Saints with 13 points and first-year Adeleke Karera grabbed 10 rebounds, but Skidmore forced overtime and topped the Saints 65-54 for the Liberty League regular-season title on …

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Skidmore hands Saints men's hoops heartbreaking overtime loss in regular-season finale

Posted

Riley Naclerio led the Saints with 13 points and first-year Adeleke Karera grabbed 10 rebounds, but Skidmore forced overtime and topped the Saints 65-54 for the Liberty League regular-season title on Saturday afternoon in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Naclerio also grabbed eight rebounds and posted three blocks, while Dom DeRegis shot 2-for-3 from the arc and scored 10 points and Luke Hicks added nine.

It was a back-and-forth battle from the start and neither team gained more than a six-point lead throughout regulation.

Skidmore gained the first edge, leading 25-21 at halftime.

The Saints scored the first two baskets of the second half and tied the game at 25. Despite four more ties, the Saints held a six-point lead on a layup from Naclerio with 3:08 to play. Noah Meren hit a 15-foot jumper and tied the game 51-51 with six seconds to play and force overtime.

The Thoroughbreds outscored the Saints 14-3 in overtime for the win.

"Today's game was played in a great small college atmosphere," said head coach Chris Downs. "This weekend will help prepare us for the Liberty League Tournament next weekend."

Meren and Edvinas Rupkus led the Thoroughbreds with 22 points each. Rupkus shot 5-for-10 from the arc, including shooting 2-for-2 from 3-point range in overtime. Meren led the team with 12 rebounds and five steals, while Greg Skoric recorded a team-best three blocks.

St. Lawrence shot 37.3% from the floor and held Skidmore to 35.8% shooting.

The Saints fell to 16-9 on the season and 13-5 in conference play, while the Thoroughbreds claimed the No. 1 seed in the Liberty League Tournament and the regular season title, improving to 17-7 and 15-3.

St. Lawrence received a bye in the first round of the tournament after defeating Ithaca last weekend and will return to Skidmore as the No. 2 seed to face the winner of the Hobart/Bard matchup in the second semifinal game on Saturday, February 23 at 4:30 p.m.