ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - Perhaps there will be a time, hopefully in the near future, when Vassar-Bard men's basketball games are played with Liberty League playoff implications on the line.

Until then, the rivals will simply continue playing nail-biters with playoff intensity every time they meet.

They met for the 12th time since 2011 on Wednesday night, Bard gutting out a 67-56 victory. It was just the second time in the last 12 meetings that the outcome was decided by double digits, and each team has won six games in the series.

Under coach Adam Turner, Bard has always been a tough defensive team. Not so much this season. But the effort and intensity on that end of the court returned with a vengeance on Wednesday night, and that was the difference in the game.

Bard used its length and athleticism to hold Vassar to 22 first half points, seven in the last nine minutes before the break. On the offensive end, they muscled up inside and got hit five-three pointers in the first 20 minutes to keep Vassar from packing the paint. It was 34-22 at halftime.

The anticipated Vassar comeback didn't happen right away, and Bard grabbed its biggest lead, 46-30, with 12:56 to go. It looked like it might be over.

But this is Vassar-Bard, and it was far from over. The Brewers put together an 11-4 run to cut it seven, 50-43, with 6:54 left and the sweat quotient suddenly went up in the loud Stevenson Athletic Center gymnasium.

An old-fashioned three-point play on a tip-in by Emmanuel Oyakhilome made the lead 10 with 4:07 to go, but just 67 seconds later, the lead was five. A key possession late pushed the lead back to seven, when Armando Dunn collected a loose ball in the paint and laid it in with 2:38 to go. Bard made 6-of-8 from the line in the final two minutes, as Vassar was reduced to hoisting up desperate three-pointers, and the Raptors had their victory.

Bard shot 44 percent from the field to Vassar's 38, Bard won the rebounding battle 40-34, and the Raptors collected a season-high five blocked shots.

Vassar (6-18 overall, 2-13 Liberty League) got 13 points from Jesse Browne (Barrington, RI) and 12 from Alex Seff (Arlington, VA).

On Senior Night, Bard got big games out of its seniors. Harry Johnson led the way with 18 points and four rebounds; Chris Lockwood had 12 points, six rebounds and seven assists; and Pat Kelly had two points, four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, which came on consecutive shots. Armando Dunn had 10 points, eight rebounds, and two emphatic blocks, and Emmanuel Oyakhilome had eight points and seven rebounds.

The 2016-17 season will wrap up on Sunday at RPI. Follow it live right here at 4 p.m.