The Presidents (0-6) jumped out to an early 10-2 lead behind a pair of baskets from junior forward Matt Vorndran (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) and freshman center Josip Lucic-Jozak (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin).
Sophomore guard Mike Gutowski’s (Tampa, Fla./Jesuit) lay-up at the 8:31 mark made it a 19-7 W&J advantage and freshman guard Nate Burton (Charleston, W.Va./Charleston Catholic) drilled a three-pointer with 2:48 left to up the lead to 29-16 before the Thoroughbreds closed to within 31-22 at halftime.
Lucic-Jozak scored two minutes into the second half to bring the lead back to 13 points (35-22), but a 35-12 Skidmore rally over the next 11 minutes gave the hosts a nine-point cushion.
Washington & Jefferson answered with 14 of the next 16 points; however, to tie the game, 59-59, with 3:13 remaining. Sophomore center Tony Lewis (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/Orange) scored seven points during the run.
The Thoroughbreds (3-5) then scored the next eight points to take control of the game. Vorndran’s bucket with 45 seconds left cut the Skidmore lead to 69-66, but the Presidents could not get any closer.
Gallagher hit 8-of-11 shots from the floor, while Reed Juckett (Wellesley, Mass.) added 21 points, five rebounds and four assists. Skidmore shot 42 percent (22-of-52), including 14-of-25 accuracy in the second half.
The Presidents were hampered by hitting only 2-of-21 three-point attempts and 8-of-16 foul shots. Lucic-Jozak totaled 15 points and five rebounds, while Lewis was the only other President in double figures with 11 points and six boards.
Washington & Jefferson will play Union (N.Y.) tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm.