GENEVA, N.Y. – Hobart College started the game on a 13-3 run and the Union College men's basketball team could never recover as the Dutchmen were dealt their first loss of the season by the Statesmen, 75-53, in Liberty League action on Tuesday night at Bristol Gym.
 
Junior Andrew Laub led Union (4-1, 2-1 Liberty League) with 12 points off the bench, followed by sophomores Mike Concannon and Mike Manley with eight points apiece. Tucker Lescoe led four Hobart (7-1, 3-0 Liberty League) players in double figures with 21 points.
 
The Dutchmen were done in almost right away by poor first-half shooting, hitting only 5-of-27 attempts (18.5 percent) to fall behind early. Only two made field goals in the first eight minutes allowed the home team to take an 18-5 lead. The Hobart lead grew to as many as 24 points in the first half before a late 5-0 run made the score 37-20 at the half.
 
The visitors battled hard in the second half, eventually whittling the deficit down to just eight points at 47-38 after a jumper by junior Nate Freeman with 11:35 to go. However, that effort was matched by a 17-2 Hobart run over the next four minutes that put the game out of reach.
 
For the evening, Union shot just 27.3 percent (15 of 55) from the field and 3-of-19 (15.8 percent) from beyond the arc. Hobart did not shoot particularly well either, finishing at 37.7 percent (23 of 61) from the field, but the Statesmen boasted a massive 52-29 edge in rebounds to help control the contest.
 
Union will look to start a new winning streak after a break for the holidays, when the Dutchmen head south to Daytona Beach to take part in the Land of Magic Classic beginning with a December 28 matchup with Lycoming College.