CU Men's Basketball Preview - at Union/Skidmore (2/17-18)

Ben Moeller

Men's Basketball | 2/15/2023 12:19:00 PM

The final contests of the 2022-23 season take place this weekend for the Clarkson University Men's Basketball team, as the Golden Knights travel to take on Union College and Skidmore College on Friday and Saturday.

Live Stats vs. Union
Live Video vs. Union
Live Stats vs. Skidmore
Live Video vs. Skidmore

The Series: The Golden Knights split with Skidmore and Union the first weekend of December, falling by six to Skidmore and then downing Union by nine. Senior Ryan Miles-Ferguson averaged 21.0 points per game over those two games, scoring 23 against the Thoroughbreds and 19 versus Union.

Key Stats for Clarkson (9-14, 6-10 Liberty League): Senior Blake Gearhart has taken on a larger scoring role as of late, averaging just under 21 points per game over his last seven contests, including four 20-point games. In his last four games, in which he is averaging 23.5 ppg, he is shooting 56.7% from the field, upping his season shooting percentage to 46.0%. With his recent stretch, Gearhart has an outside shot at becoming the latest 1000-point scorer for the Golden Knights, as he is now 50 points shy of four figures.

Key Stats for Union (5-18, 4-12 Liberty League): Oddly, the Dutchmen have posted just one win at home in 2022-23, beating local rival RPI in January. Union struggled with its defense against Clarkson in the first meeting, allowing the Golden Knights to shoot 53.4% from the floor and sending the Green and Gold to the free throw line 23 times. Mike Manley leads the team in scoring at 14.6 points per game and Brian Noone is just behind at 13.8 points per contest. Aren Cummings is also in double figures, averaging 10.1 ppg. Union has made the fewest 3-pointers in the conference this season, making 124 of its 396 attempts.

Key Stats for Skidmore (12-11, 10-6 Liberty League): The Thoroughbreds are third in the conference in scoring despite the lowest 3-point field goal percentage in the conference (29.8%). Skidmore has made up for its deficit from deep by making more free throws (306) than any other team in the league. Tautvydas Kupstas is second in the league in scoring at 21.0 points per game, but is shooting 43.4% from the floor. However, Kupstas has the highest free throw percentage in the league among qualifiers at 85.4%, and his 88 makes from the stripe are the third most in the Liberty League. Riley Greene makes the team go, averaging 12.0 points and a league-best 6.8 assists per game.

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Players Mentioned

#23 Blake Gearhart: G; 6' 1"; Senior

#3 Ryan Miles-Ferguson: G; 6' 2"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#23 Blake Gearhart
: 6' 1"; Senior
: G

#3 Ryan Miles-Ferguson
: 6' 2"; Senior
: G

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

#23 Blake Gearhart

#3 Ryan Miles-Ferguson

Players Mentioned

#23 Blake Gearhart

#3 Ryan Miles-Ferguson