February 24 , 2005

Colby Feane

Joe Flacke

Rich Roche

GENEVA, N.Y.—On the strength of a 10-4 conference record, the Hobart College Statesmen earned the right to host the Liberty League Men’s Basketball Tournament, Feb. 25-26.

On Friday, No. 3 Hamilton College and No.2 Skidmore College open the fray at 3 p.m. The top-seeded Statesmen will host Union College in the second semifinal at 8 p.m. The championship game will tip off at 4 p.m., the following afternoon. Admission to all three games is free.

Head Coach Rich Roche ’87 led Hobart to a 15-9 overall record, the third highest win total in the 95-season history of Statesmen basketball. Roche is third on Hobart’s career wins list, one shy of Lyle “Spike” Garnish (94 wins from 1950-51 to 1959-60). The regular season championship is the first for Hobart since the 2000-01 season. That season, the Statesmen tied for first place with St. Lawrence University, but had to travel to Canton to capture their first tournament championship.

On the court, the Statesmen are led by junior guard Colby Feane (Weedsport/Weedsport, N.Y.). He leads the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.510) and steals (2.5/g), and ranks among the top-10 in the conference in scoring (4th, 16.7 ppg), free throw percentage (4th, .802), three-pointers made (5th, 2.3/g), and assists (8th, 3.1). The three-time Liberty League Guard of the Week broke the Hobart record for consecutive games with a three-pointer made, canning a trifecta in all 22 games he’s played this season.

Three other Statesmen are also averaging double digit scoring. Senior forward Joe Flacke (Schenectady/Schenectady, N.Y.), sophomore guard Mike Manning (Center Moriches/Mastic, N.Y.), and junior guard Adam Frederic (Holy Cross/Flushing, N.Y.) are contributing 12.7 ppg, 11.7 ppg, and 10.4 ppg, respectively.

Earlier this season, Hobart defeated Union 81-69 in Bristol Gym, but needed a last second layup by Flacke to escape Schenectady with a 66-65 win two weeks later.

For those unable to travel to Geneva for the tournament, live online statistics will be available for all three games at: web.hws.edu/hobart/basketball/schedule.asp.