SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (0-1) surged late in the first half, but Skidmore College (2-0) held on for an 80-77 win in the Bears' season opener. Junior center Tyrese Baptiste (Brooklyn, N.Y./Eagle Academy II) led Potsdam with his 16th career double-double on 24 points and 10 rebounds. Junior forward Brandon Segar Jr. (Jamaica, N.Y./Richmond Hill) scored 16 points and grabbed eight boards and sophomore guard Colton Huestis (Ticonderoga, N.Y./Ticonderoga) had 11.
 
Potsdam opened the contest with the first five points on a layup from Segar and a 3-pointer from freshman forward Parker Kelly (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown). After the Thoroughbreds tied the score, the teams traded leads for the next few minutes. At 14:08 Harrison Eichelberge hit a three to give Skidmore a 13-12 advantage and ignite a 9-0 run. Greg Skoric scored on a layup and the Thoroughbreds had their largest lead of the game at 19-12. Potsdam caught fire over the rest of the half, racing past Skidmore. A 13-5 run, capped by a layup from Baptiste gave the Bears a 24-23 lead. Skoric gave the Thoroughbreds the lead a final time before the break, 26-25, at 6:35 and then it was all Potsdam for the rest of the half. The Bears headed into the intermission on a 20-5 run, including the final 10 points of the half.
 
As hot as Potsdam finished the first 20 minutes, Skidmore matched them to open the second. The Thoroughbreds outscored the Bears 19-4 in the first 5:52 to regain the lead at 50-49. Tautvydas Kupstas had eight of the points, including two 3-pointers. After the alternating explosions, the contest settled back into back-and-forth battle. Segar and Baptiste put Potsdam up 55-53 with 12:26 left, but Kupstas nailed another three to make it 56-55. Senior forward Dante Viskovich (Massena, N.Y./Massena) scored from behind-the-arc at 11:11, but Kupstas stayed hot and answered immediately to make it 59-58. After Skidmore extended its lead to five, the Bears rallied again. Segar recorded a dunk to start a 10-2 stretch and a layup from Huestis made it 68-65 Bears at 4:50. It was neck and neck the rest of the way. Another Kupstas three tied the game at 70 with 3:22 left. Freshman guard MeSean Johnson (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg) hit a three at 2:13 to make it 73-70. However, Skidmore answered with a jumper from Ty Lamport and a three from Riley Green with 66 seconds remaining. Segar tied the game with another layup at 0:42. Kaupstas then made it 78-75 with eight seconds later after a three-point play. After forcing a turnover, Baptiste closed the gap to one at with 20 seconds left. With time running out and a chance to regain the lead, the Bears were called for a charge. Later Kupstas hit two free throws with four seconds remaining to close out the 80-77 win.
 
Johnson had nine points and four assists in his collegiate debut Kelly finished with eight and four boards in his first college action.
 
Kupstas led all scorers with 31 points, 27 coming on nine 3-pointers. Skoric had 21 points and seven boards. Green finished with 11 points and Lamport had nine.
 
Potsdam shot 50.8-percent from the floor to Skidmore's 43.5. The Thoroughbreds edged the Bears on the glass, 39-37.
 
Potsdam is back in action on Friday at 7 p.m. when the Bears host St. Lawrence University in Jerry Welsh Gymnasium.