CANTON, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team traveled to the North Country and lost the first of two Liberty League games over the weekend, 68-61, at St. Lawrence on Friday night. Ithaca is now 13-9 overall and 10-5 in the Liberty League.

The Bombers jumped out to an 11-2 lead over the opening five-plus minutes as IC connected on three 3-pointers during the run. But from there, St. Lawrence answered with a 22-5 run over the next eight minutes to flip momentum and give the Saints a 24-16 advantage with six minutes remaining in the half.

IC tied the game up at 26-26 as Jaylon O'Neal and Cole Wissink drilled 3-pointers and Jose Padilla deadlocked the contest with a pair of made free throws. St. Lawrence would go on a 4-0 run from there and Logan Wendell hit a three with 42 seconds left in the half to send IC into the break down by a point, 30-29.

Ithaca never took the lead in the second half, but did tie things up at the midway point, 46-46. The Saints made a 3-pointer with 9:45 to go and then neither team scored for the next three-plus minutes, which was a layup from SLU.

The Bombers ended their scoreless stretch with a pair of free throws from O'Neal with 5:32 left to make it 52-48 in favor of the Saints. O'Neal pulled IC to within two points at the 3:49 mark, 55-53, but a 7-0 run from the Saints over the next 2:20 put the game out of reach and St. Lawrence came away with the 68-61 win.

O'Neal led IC with 13 points, to go along with six rebounds and three assists, while Padilla added 11 points off the bench in 15 minutes. Wendell chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds.

Ithaca will make the quick trip over to Clarkson tomorrow for a 3 p.m. tip.