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SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College men's basketball team shot 52.6 percent from the field and even better from beyond the arc as the Dutchmen raced past Skidmore College by a 93-45 score in Liberty League action on Friday night at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
Union (12-7, 9-4 Liberty League) picks up another big conference victory and sits a half-game back of Ithaca College in third place ahead of tomorrow's matchup. The Dutchmen also sit four games ahead of four teams, including Skidmore (6-14, 5-8 Liberty League), in the race for a top-four seed in the conference standings.
 
Union shot 30-of-57 from the field on the night, led by junior Jackson Mannix, who scored a game-high 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and a 4-for-4 effort at the line. Senior Kevin Jefferson hit 4-of-6 attempts from long range to finish with 12 points, while fellow senior Martynas Simanavicius chipped in nine points off the bench. Nine different players hit a three-pointer for the game, as the team finished 15-of-28 (53.6 percent) from beyond the arc.
 
The Dutchmen led almost from wire-to-wire on Friday night, as Mannix connected on a four-point play to put Union up 5-2 and the home team never looked back. A pair of free throws by Mannix gave Union its first double-digit lead of the game at 25-14 with 8:02 remaining in the first half and the lead continue to grow after that, helped by an 11-0 run to close out the frame – capped by a buzzer-beating three from Jefferson – that made the score 45-22 in favor of the Dutchmen at the break.
 
Mannix converted another four-point play early in the second half to increase the lead, while sophomore Brian Noone hit a three to bump lead into the thirties at 61-31 with 13:03 left. That three kick started an 18-0 run that was finished off by a three from junior Jack Williams that put Union up 76-31 with 7:01 on the clock.
 
Simanavicius scored Union's last nine points of the game, finishing with a pair of free throws that built up the largest lead of the night at 93-41 with 1:24 left to go. Freshman Justin Regis also had four points, six assists and six rebounds in just 16 minutes of action as well to lead the reserves.
 
Union did an excellent job of getting out in transition, posting a 24-3 edge in fastbreak points, and also held an 19-2 edge in points off turnovers.
 
The Dutchmen will celebrate their seniors tomorrow with Senior Day before a huge conference clash against Ithaca at 4 p.m. at Viniar Athletic Center.