Rensselaer defeated Hamilton College, 63-54, in a Liberty League game played at Hamilton's Margaret Bundy Scott Field House on Jan. 22.
Eliza Howe '13 paced the Continentals (8-6 overall, 1-3 Liberty) with 11 points. Blue Sanders '13 came off the bench to add 10 points and four assists. Madie Harlem '13 recorded eight points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Eliza Howe '13 paced the Continentals (8-6 overall, 1-3 Liberty) with 11 points. Blue Sanders '13 came off the bench to add 10 points and four assists. Madie Harlem '13 recorded eight points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Hamilton shot 29 percent (9-31) from the field in the first half. Despite the poor shooting statistics, the Continentals led by five points at 19-14 after a Harlem layup with 6:17 left in the opening half.
The Engineers (9-6, 4-0) responded with a 12-0 run during the next five-plus minutes, and never trailed again. Five different players scored for Rensselaer during the spurt. The Continentals trailed 28-22 going into the break.
Hamilton pulled within two points several times early in the second half. Alex Sowinski ‘10 hit a layup 1:18 after the half to make the score 30-28. Rensselaer responded with a jumper, but the Continentals answered with a basket by Sanders to cut the deficit to two again. With 15:21 left, a 3-pointer by Sanders made the score 34-32, and put the Continentals within two points for the third time.
The Engineers (9-6, 4-0) responded with a 12-0 run during the next five-plus minutes, and never trailed again. Five different players scored for Rensselaer during the spurt. The Continentals trailed 28-22 going into the break.
Hamilton pulled within two points several times early in the second half. Alex Sowinski ‘10 hit a layup 1:18 after the half to make the score 30-28. Rensselaer responded with a jumper, but the Continentals answered with a basket by Sanders to cut the deficit to two again. With 15:21 left, a 3-pointer by Sanders made the score 34-32, and put the Continentals within two points for the third time.
The last time the Continentals cut their deficit to two was at 36-34 after a layup by Cate Schafer '10 with 13:54 remaining. The Engineers scored the next seven points for a 43-34 advantage. The Continentals couldn't get within one possession after that.
Rensselaer finished with a huge advantage at the free-throw line as the Engineers made 20 shots while Hamilton was just 3 of 6 at the charity stripe. Hamilton shot 37 percent from the field overall, and 29 percent from behind the arc.
Hamilton hosts Vassar College for another league game on Saturday, Jan. 23.
