POTSDAM, N.Y. – Despite a season- and game-high 21 points from first-year Jack Plesser, the Union College men's basketball team came up a few points short in a 81-77 loss to Clarkson University in Liberty League action on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Gymnasium.
 
Plesser had a big game in the paint for Union (7-7, 2-6 Liberty League), hitting 9-of-16 shots from the field and also grabbing a team-best seven rebounds in a losing effort. Classmate Tanner Tedesco also reached double figures with 13 points while senior Connor Cepiel chipped in nine points.
 
Finn Cork poured in 19 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds to lead Clarkson (10-4, 4-3 Liberty League). He was joined in double figures by Ryan Miles-Ferguson with 18 points and Braeden Burns with 14 points.
 
Clarkson started the afternoon red-hot from the field, hitting nine of its first 12 shots (including 5-of-7 from long range) to take a 25-10 lead at the nine-minute mark of the first half. A 9-0 run consisting entirely of Plesser (six points) and classmate Brendan Reid (three points) stemmed the tide and got Union back within six, and the visitors went into the locker rooms down by seven at 42-35. Plesser accounted for over 33 percent of the team's first-half scoring with 12 points.
 
The Golden Knights built up a 54-43 lead with 16:08 remaining, but a layup by first-year Matthew Garside kickstarted a 12-2 run that got Union back within a point after a Tedesco three with 12:05 on the clock. Following a Clarkson free throw, a three-point play by Plesser gave Union its first lead since 3-0 approaching the midway point of the half. The visitors led 63-61 after a three from senior Luke McGarrity, but a personal 7-0 run by Cork put the home team back up by five.
 
Down by three in the final minute and needing a stop, Clarkson's Frankie Rainville hit a jumper with 28 ticks on the clock to give his team an 80-75 edge. The Garnet Chargers missed their next three shots to allow the Golden Knights to escape with a victory.
 
Both teams hit 29 field goals on the afternoon, but Clarkson's volume shooting from long range eventually provided the difference. Union shot 41.4 percent (29 of 70) from the field and Clarkson finished at 46.0 percent (29 of 63), but the home team sunk 10 three-pointers to Union's five to give it the slight edge.
 
Union will return home for its next four conference contests, beginning on Friday with a 7:30 p.m. matchup against Vassar College at Viniar Athletic Center.