ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - Bard College men's basketball coach Adam Turner went to a tool that usually sits at the bottom of his coaching toolbox on Saturday.

Pressure.

Locked in a tight, physical battle with Medgar Evers College, Turner told the Raptors to press, and it worked. Bard put together a 16-4 run, then held on down the stretch for a 71-60 win. 

For the second straight season, Bard will enter the New Year at 5-4.

Bard led 30-28 at halftime, and it was a one-point lead with 16:33 to go when Bard started to press and run. The ensuing run was punctuated by a pair of dunks - one by Siondueh Burnette, the other from Jelani Bell-Isaac - and the Raptors led 50-37 with 12:11 remaining the game.

The lead was 12 with 8:41 left when the Cougars (1-9) made their run - 12-2 over the next five minutes - and Bard's lead was precarious at 55-53 with 3:44 to go. Bard made 13-of-14 free throws from there to pull out the victory. The Raptors made 35-of-45 foul shots, including 25-of-32 in the second half. Bard also forced 19 turnovers, 11 in the second half.

The visitors got 19 points from Matthew Walker (Brooklyn, NY) and 12 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks from Valin Williams (Brooklyn, NY).

Bard got 19 points and 11 rebounds from freshman DeVahnte Mosley, 16 points and four rebounds from Harry Johnson, and 14 points and eight rebounds from Siondueh Burnette.

All 16 of Bard's remaining games are Liberty League contests, beginning with a trip to Vassar on Jan. 6.