GENEVA, N.Y.—Tim Llewellyn broke the Hobart career steals record this afternoon, but it was a bittersweet achievement as Rensselaer escaped Bristol Gym with a 66-64 overtime victory. After tying
Mike DeMaria’s ’90 standard of 181 yesterday, Llewellyn seized the crown less than four minutes into the contest and added a second later in the contest to raise the mark to 183.
The visitors engineered their victory on the strength of a 7-2 advantage in second chance points in overtime and an untimely cold spell at the free throw line by the Statesmen. Hobart missed just three of its 20 free throws in regulation, but went 2-for-6 in OT.
The extra session got off to an ominous start when Ricky Philatre gave the visitors the lead with a traditional three-point play. The Engineers (11-4, 3-2) never relinquished the lead. In a 64 second span that began at the 2:17 mark, Hobart (9-7, 2-3) missed four free throws that could have erased RPI’s two-point advantage (65-63).
Matt Pebole broke the streak by making the second of two freebies, completing his 17-point, four-rebound, two blocked shot performance.
The Engineers restored their two-point edge when Travis Jones made the backend of a two-shot foul with seven seconds remaining. The Statesmen got two looks at the basket down the stretch, but both shots were off the mark.
In the first half, Hobart broke a 17-all tie with nine unanswered points, including seven from Pebole, to build the largest lead of the game for either squad, 26-17 with 8:52 left. Rensselaer chipped away at its deficit down the stretch, heading into halftime down just one, 33-32. Pebole scored 12 of his game-high 17 points in the first 20 minutes, while Llewellyn chipped in 10 of his 14 points.
The Statesmen remained in the lead deep into the second half. Llewellyn made a pair of free throws with 5:44 left in regulation to put Hobart in front 53-47. Tim Rupp keyed a 7-0 run with five of his 11 points, putting RPI ahead 54-53 with 3:41 to go.
Stefan Thompson’s three-point play at 3:30 return the Statesmen to the lead, 56-54, but the Engineers sank back-to-back jumpers by Philatre and DJ Blakemore go up two with 1:53 left.
Thompson tied the game for the fifth and final time by sinking a pair of free throws with 42 seconds left. RPI missed a three with seven seconds to go and Thompson got the rebound. He made a mad dash up the court and got off a layup in traffic that went halfway down the cylinder before rattling out, forcing overtime.
Philatre posted a double-double of 16 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Mike Brion added 12 points, including three second half threes.
Thompson had 13 points, five rebounds, and a team-high three assists before fouling out with nine seconds left in OT.
Hobart is back in action at 8 p.m. on Jan. 29, when the Statesmen visit St. Lawrence. Rensselaer returns home for its next contest, hosting Union at 8 p.m. on Jan. 29.