POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team suffered its second loss of the season as the Bombers fell to Vassar College, 71-66, in both teams' Liberty League opener inside the AFC Gymnasium on Friday evening, December 3. Ithaca is now 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the Liberty League, while Vassar improves to 4-2 and 1-0 in league play.

It was a tight matchup all night long as neither team led by more than seven points over the 40-minute contest. IC's largest lead of the contest was three points at 5-2, while Vassar's largest advantage was 55-48 with 8:44 left in the contest.

There were 11 lead changes and seven ties during the contest as Ithaca shot 26-for-65 (40.0-percent) in the game and was 7-of-20 from 3-point range. Vassar was 27-for-60 (45.0%) and 9-for-21 (42.9%) from beyond the arc.

Rebounds were even at 38-38 and turnovers were 13-to-11 in favor the Bombers, who scored 15 points off those giveaways to seven for the Brewers. Vassar held an edge in second chance points, 14-to-8, as well as on fast break, 8-to-4.

IC jumped out to its 5-2 lead in the opening two-plus minutes as George Sikoryak III put home a layup and Andrew Geschickter drilled a 3-pointer. Over the next 11 minutes, IC and Vassar were tied four times and exchanged lead changes six times until the Brewers took the lead for good in the first half at 27-25 with 6:15 to go.

The Bombers managed to knot things up at 29-29 after a layup from Geschickter with 3:54 remaining, but Vassar closed out the half with the final five points to take a 34-29 advantage into intermission.

In the second half, Vassar maintained its lead until Skylar Sinon connected on all three attempts at the free throw line to flip a 40-38 deficit to a 41-40 edge with 14:37 to go. After trading baskets on the next two possessions, Vassar went back in front, 44-43, with 12:24 to go and never relinquished the lead from there.

The Bombers were able to get back to within a point on three different occasions but could never find that lead-changing bucket.

In the final minute, Sinon notched a steal and layup to bring IC to within a point at 67-66, but Vassar scored the final four points of the game.

Sinon, Geschickter and Luka Radovich all finished with 12 points in the contest. Sinon also pulled down seven rebounds with four assists, while Radovich had six boards. Sikoryak added eight points with four rebounds and three assists, while Liam Spellman had seven rebounds and five points. Zach Warech added seven points.

The Bombers head to Bard College tomorrow for a 4 p.m. tip.