SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Five players scored in double figures and 11 players found their way on the scoresheet as the Union College men's basketball team rolled past Skidmore College by a 93-63 score in Liberty League action on Friday night at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
Almost everyone made a contribution to the team's third straight victory, a win that moved Union (10-7, 5-6 Liberty League) into a tie for sixth place in the conference standings. First-year Jack Plesser continued his recent hot streak with a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds, followed closely by classmate Tanner Tedesco with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field and a 4-of-5 effort from long range. Sophomore Christian Dufort chipped in a career-high 13 points to go with eight caroms, while senior Luke McGarrity (12 points) and first-year Matthew Garside (10 points) also reached double figures for the home team.
 
Skidmore (4-13, 2-9 Liberty League) was paced by Aidan Roy with 17 points and Jake Walsh with 13 points.
 
The Garnet Chargers had the offense rolling for most of the night, shooting well over 50.0 percent for most of the evening before tailing off in the final minutes and finishing at 48.0 percent (36 of 75) from the field. The home team held a massive 29-4 edge in fast-break points and also outscored Skidmore 46-28 in the paint in the victory.
 
Union held a lead for a majority of the opening frame, outscoring Skidmore by 18 points over the final 15 minutes to take a 49-34 lead into the locker room. The Thoroughbreds held a 12-9 lead 4:13 into the contest before senior Edward Baptiste punctuated a quick 7-0 run that gave Union back the lead for good at 16-12.
 
A 10-2 stretch after the visitors got back within a point bumped the lead to nine at 30-21 near the midway point of the half, and another 8-0 run later in the period gave the Garnet Chargers their largest lead of the half at 38-23 with 5:09 on the clock. Tedesco put a cap on the opening stanza by going coast-to-coast in less than five seconds to beat the buzzer with a layup that matched the 15-point lead after 20 minutes.
 
McGarrity scored five points during a 7-0 run to start the second half that pushed the lead past 20 for the first time at 56-34. Skidmore got within 16 after a Roy three made the score 64-48 with 14:42 remaining, but Union responded with a massive 21-3 run that spanned over seven minutes and put the game away. Only three players did the scoring for Union during the run, with Plesser scoring 12 points, Dufort netting seven and Garside adding a bucket. The lead grew to as many as 37 after a layup by first-year Jaden Jauregui with 4:52 left that put Union up 91-54.
 
Union will look to complete a perfect 4-0 homestand tomorrow with another key conference contest against Ithaca College beginning at 5 p.m. at Viniar Athletic Center.