SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – On Saturday night at the Viniar Athletic Center, the Union College men's basketball team lost to the St. Lawrence University Saints in a Liberty League battle, 73-65.
 
Senior Kevin Jefferson led Union (6-6, 2-4 Liberty League) in scoring with 27 points as he made 7-of-10 three pointers on the night. On the defensive end, Rhona Eseyade finished with four blocks and senior Kevin McNoble added three steals.

In the first half, Jefferson started the scoring with an electrifying four-point play and ignited the Dutchmen offense in the first 12 minutes as he went 4 for 4 from three-point land and contributed 13 of the first 23 points. As Union led for a majority of the first half, the Saints battled back after knocking down some big shots on the perimeter and dominating the offensive glass in the final five minutes.
 
As the clock winded down in the half, Jefferson made his fifth three-pointer to tie the score up at 32 before the Saints answered back with two layups to make the score 36-32 going into the locker room.
 
In the second half, St. Lawrence (9-5, 6-1 Liberty League) held the lead throughout as they came out in a full-court press and extended the lead to 13 before the Dutchmen began a run of their own. Union's bench stepped up big on both sides of the ball as Eseyade stopped the Saints run with two key blocks and added a monstrous dunk to bring the deficit to within four at 48-44 with 12:33 remaining. Jefferson continued his prolific night of scoring with a layup and a three-pointer to once again bring the lead to within four (56-52) with 7:23 left in the half.
 
As the game came down the stretch, the Dutchmen trailed by 6 with 2:18 to go before the Saints made two big defensive stops and ended Union's comeback hopes. Each time Union made a push to take the lead, the Saints answered back by getting the ball to the rim and drawing fouls.
 
On the night, Union shot well from three-point land as they made 40.7 percent (11 of 27) of their threes, but St. Lawrence's 44-18 edge in points in the paint was ultimately the difference.
 
Union's next conference game is at Bard College on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. as the Dutchmen look to bounce back after a tough loss.