Troy, NY - A double-digit halftime lead evaporated in 16 second-half minutes, but the Clarkson University Men's Basketball team would not let Rensselaer complete the comeback, surviving for a 59-57 victory against the Engineers in Liberty League action Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Knights improved to 18-5 overall and 11-3 in the Liberty League, pushing themselves back into a tie for second place in the conference standings and setting a regular-season program record for victories in a year. The Engineers dropped to 6-17 overall and 3-11 in conference games. Clarkson can still earn the top spot in the conference standings and has two games remaining, including the final home contest of the regular season against St. Lawrence on Wednesday.

Felix Abongo hit a lay up in the first minute and despite one more tie Clarkson led throughout the remainder of the first half, watching its lead jump to double digits after a pair of free throws from Conrad Zampier at the 8:37 mark. The Knights would push the advantage to as many as 17 points on two occasions and it appeared like a harmless jumper from Josh Dugas at the break, bringing Rensselaer back to within 15 (36-21), would be nothing more than a singular basket that sparked nothing.

The opposite was true in the second half as Clarkson struggled from the field, shooting just 8-for-24 after a 16-for-28 effort in the opening 20 minutes. The Engineers wouldn't go away, though they trailed by as many as 14 in the second half (52-38, 8:47). A 10-0 run shot Rensselaer back to within striking distance with just under five minutes to go, and a three-point play on a lay up and free throw from Josh Dugas brought the Engineers within two. One possession later, Brian Hatcher nailed a 3-pointer to give RPI its first lead of the game with 3:34 remaining, but Charles McAllister sank a pair of free throws just 18 seconds later to retrieve the lead for Clarkson. Fortunately for the Knights, the 18 seconds of trailing were the only moments of the game they would be behind. John Coleman hit a jumper to expand the lead to three and the Knights would hold on for the win.

Coleman finished with 18 points, shooting 9-for-13 from the floor, and Felix Abongo tossed in 13 points to go along with six rebounds. For RPI, Dugas had 16 points and four assists while Hatcher added 15 points and nine rebounds. Chase Almond also tossed in 14 points as Rensselaer's five starters had all of the Engineers' 57 points in the game.