GENEVA, N.Y. – The Union College men's basketball team lost a close contest 80-76 to the Statesmen of Hobart College, who used an 8-0 run in the final 1:48 to claim the victory. The loss brings Union to 4-2 in the Liberty League, while Hobart improves to 1-3.
 
Union was led in scoring by seniors Mike Manley and Brian Noone, who ended with 28 and 22 points,  respectively. Manley was 9-of-14 from the field, including a career-high-matching seven three-pointers, and chipped in four assists to go along with a team-leading five rebounds. Noone collected four off the glass and contributed three assists to go along with his second-best scoring performance of the season. Senior Chris Lovisolo provided a important spark off the bench with seven points in 18 minutes, including a few key baskets to halt Hobart runs. 
 
The Statesmen were led by senior forward Jackson Meshanic, who scored a game-high 34 points to go along with 10 rebounds. 
 
As they say of basketball, Saturday evening's game was truly "a game of runs." The Dutchmen and Statesmen combined for 18 lead changes, nine for each team. Union led by as many as six with 4:41 left in the first half after a Manley three-pointer. However, a mid-range jumper by Meshanic sealed a 10-2 run by Hobart going into halftime, putting the Dutchmen down by two going into the locker room. 
 
On the first possession of the second half, junior point guard Justin Regis forced a Hobart turnover to be followed by a pick-and roll connection from Manley to junior forward Mike Caporale, evening the score at 36.  Union from there pushed to a five-point lead with 15:20 left in the half after a Noone old-fashioned three-point play. From there, the Statesmen used a 19-6 run to take an eight-point lead with 9:24 left in the contest. Manley led the Dutchmen back into the game with 14 points over the last 8:54, the last two giving Union a 76-72 lead with 1:48 to play.
 
Five straight points put Hobart up by one in the final half minute, and Union could not score on their final three possessions, including a huge block by Patrick Walker that denied a game-tying layup in the waning seconds.
 
Hobart shot 54.5 percent (30 of 55) from the field and dominated Union on the glass, grabbing 42 rebounds to Union's 19. The Dutchmen stayed in the game by forcing 22 Hobart turnovers and turning them into 23 points, but the team came up just short.
 
Union will be on the road for its second straight weekend next Friday and Saturday nights when they take on Bard and Ithaca as they continue to fight for playoff position.