GENEVA, N.Y. – Union College decreased a 17-point deficit down to four points in the waning minutes, but the comeback effort came up just short as the Dutchmen dropped a 73-66 decision to Hobart College in both teams' Liberty League men's basketball opener on Friday night at Bristol Gymnasium.
 
Four players scored in double figures for Union (3-1, 0-1 Liberty League), led by sophomore Jackson Mannix with a team-high 15 points. Freshman Mike Concannon added 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while senior Brendan Laing chipped in 11 points and sophomore Nate Freeman added 10.
 
The Dutchmen never managed to get a lead on Friday, as the Statesmen scored the first five points of the game and never lost their advantage. Hobart (2-3, 1-0 Liberty League) built its lead up to as many as 12 late in the first half before a three-pointer from sophomore Andrew Laub lowered the deficit to nine (38-29) at the half.
 
The largest lead of the night for Hobart came with 8:44 after a bucket put the home team up 60-43. But the visitors would not go quietly, rattling off a 16-4 run over the next 4:30 that got the Dutchmen within five at 64-59. Concannon led the charge with seven points during the run, followed by Mannix with five.
 
Union got within four points on two occasions after a three from junior Kevin Jefferson and then again after two Mannix free throws, but the Dutchmen managed only two free throws over the final 1:44 as their season-opening three-game winning streak came to an end.
 
The Dutchmen finished the night shooting 39.0 percent (23 of 59) from the field, while Hobart connected on 24-of-54 shots (44.4 percent). Both teams shot 70 percent from the free-throw line, but Hobart had a 21-12 edge in shots made from the stripe.
 
Union looks to shake off its first loss of the year tomorrow, when the Dutchmen head to Rochester to take on Rochester Institute of Technology beginning at 4 p.m.