ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team posted its most convincing win of the season with a 32-point triumph, 94-62, over Skidmore College on Friday evening inside Ben Light Gymnasium. Ithaca, which is now 10-9 on the season and 6-6 in the Liberty League, handed first-place Skidmore (12-7, 10-3) its largest loss in nearly eight years (79-39 to Amherst on March 4, 2011).

Prior to the contest, senior Peter Ezema was recognized for his career accomplishments as he was presented with a plaque for setting the career steals record and game ball for scoring 1,000 points. Those two feats happened with a six-day span earlier this season.

The hardware seemed to spark Ezema, as he finished with a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds for his 32nd career double-double. Ezema went 10-for-19 in the game, including 4-for-10 from 3-point range.

At night's end, Ithaca held two of the Liberty League's top scorer, Noah Meren (21.7 PPG) and Edvinas Rupkus (17.3 PPG) to just 25 combined points. On the other end of the floor, the Bombers hung nearly 30 points more than the Thoroughbreds were allowing this season (68.8).

Skidmore jumped out to a 6-3 lead over the opening 1:31 of play, but back-to-back buckets from Ezema within the next minute vaulted Ithaca on top, 7-6. That would be the final lead change of the game as the Bombers put the game out of reach quickly with an unbelievable first half shooting display.

Within the next two minutes, Ithaca drilled three-straight 3-pointers from Ezema, senior Matt Flood and junior Sebastian Alderete put push IC's lead to 10 points at 16-6. After a Skidmore bucket, Flood and freshman Skylar Sinon connected from distance on back-to-back transition threes to make the score 22-8.

Skidmore climbed back to within an eight-point spread at 22-14 with 11:45 to play, but Ithaca answered with a 15-6 run over the next five minutes to distance itself from the Thoroughbreds, 37-20. IC drilled three more 3-pointers during that stretch.

After a Skidmore 3-pointer at the 5:51 mark made the score 39-26, the Bombers closed out the half by scoring 16 of the final 23 points to build a 55-33 lead heading into intermission.

In the first half, Ithaca shot an unthinkable 12-of-19 (63.2%) from beyond the arc and 18-of-30 overall (60.0%). The Bombers flipped 14 Skidmore turnovers into 22 points and tallied 10 steals in the half.

Ezema had 17 points and seven rebounds in the first half, while Flood added 11 points and junior Riley Thompson chipped in 10.

It was much of the same in the final 20 minutes of play, as the Bombers reached a 30-point spread, 69-39, within the opening 4:11. Skidmore managed to bring things back to a 27-point difference, 74-47, with 13:40 to play, but another 3-pointer from Flood pushed the disparity back out to 30, where it would remain for the rest of the game.

Ithaca would go on to lead by as many as 36 points (85-49 and 94-58) on two difference occasions over the final 9:08.

The Bombers forced 26 turnovers in the win, which led to 39 points. IC went 32-for-57 from the floor (56.1%) and 16-for-31 from 3-point range (51.6%). The Bombers also assisted on 19 makes, led by five from freshman George Sikoryak III.

Flood finished the night with 18 points (6-of-9 and 4-of-6 from 3-point range), six steals, four rebounds and three assists. Sinon added 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including a breakaway dunk with under five minutes to play, with four steals and three assists.

Alderete chipped in 14 points, while Thompson finished with 12 points.

The Bombers will host RPI tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. for Senior Day in what will be another crucial Liberty League matchup.