Potsdam, NY - Three 3-pointers in a stretch of 65 seconds helped turn a deficit for the Clarkson University Men's Basketball team into a seven-point lead and the Golden Knights never looked back in a 69-62 victory over Vassar College Friday night at Alumni Gymnasium.

The Golden Knights improved to 16-4 overall and 9-2 in the Liberty League while Vassar fell to 6-14 overall and 2-9 in conference games. Clarkson can potentially clinch a playoff spot tomorrow afternoon with a win over Bard and a St. Lawrence loss. The Brewers will travel to Canton to take on St. Lawrence.

Vassar started the game with some solid inside-outside play, making 3-pointers while pounding the ball into forward Alex Snyder. The Brewers led by just two points midway through the half, but extended the lead to seven with just under seven minutes to go after Erikson Wasyl drilled a 3-pointer and a jumper. The margin increased to as many as eight points late in the half (33-25), but Charles McAllister made a 3-pointer in the final minutes to pull the Knights back within five.

After Vassar opened the second half with the first basket, Clarkson recorded the next nine points to take its first lead in over 20 minutes of action, capping off the run on a three-point play by Charles McAllister. Vassar quickly reclaimed the lead and held it until the midway point of the half when the Knights tied the score, again on a three-point play from Felix Abongo (47-47, 10:12). Once again the Brewers responded with a 3-pointer, but the Knights wouldn't go away, gaining the lead (52-50) on a 3-pointer from Dylan Hodownes and pushing the advantage to seven on another 3-pointer from Hodownes and one from McAllister. Clarkson's margin would diminish to four points with less than three minutes to go, but the Knights were able to sink some clutch free throws down the stretch to gain a seven-point victory.

McAllister scored 18 points, going 5-for-11 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free throw line, while Hodownes added 14 points, seven boards, and five assists. Abongo tossed in 13 points and also had eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals, and John Coleman chipped in 10 points and five rebounds. For Vassar, Snyder ended the game with a double-double on 18 points and 11 rebounds and Wasyl came off the bench to score 18, including a 4-for-7 effort from beyond the 3-point arc. Curtis Smith also had 11 points for the Brewers.

Vassar shot 51.0% from the field for the game and 45.0% from the 3-point line, but made only three of their 12 attempts from the free throw line. Clarkson was slightly better from the line, shooting 58.3% (14-for-24).