ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - An 18-2 run midway through the second half powered the Bard College men's basketball team to a huge comeback win Tuesday night, as the Raptors topped Liberty League rival, Union College, 82-77 at the Stevenson Athletic Center.  

The run began with 15:56 remaining in the contest and the Raptors down 51-36. At that point, Union had been cruising all-night long, offensively and defensively. It appeared as if the guests were going to be able to secure a much needed Liberty League win.

Bard had a different idea on how the night would play out however.

With the help of the Stevenson crowd, the Raptors turned the deficit into a lead over the next four plus minutes. Suddenly at the 11:14 mark, Bard now led the Dutchmen of Union, 54-53 on the back of the 18-2 scoring streak.

With the tables turned, it was now Union College who appeared destined for defeat, just as the Raptors had looked earlier in the night.

However, this is the Liberty League, where no lead is ever safe. 

Just as quickly as Bard had gained the lead, Union snatched it right back, thanks to a 9-0 run immediately afterward. Over the next several minutes, the Dutchmen continued to maintain their advantage, eventually holding a 72-64 score line with just under five minutes to go.

Once more, it appeared as if Union was going to secure the win and survive the Raptors' comeback attempt. But once again, the Raptors answered the rallying call.

Over the final five minutes, Bard proceeded to outscore Union, 18-5, as the Dutchmen were shell shocked by a second comeback of the half. The Raptors meanwhile, were all hugs and smiles at the end, as the rally secured a crucial league win.

With the result, Bard improved to 8-6 overall and 4-3 in Liberty League play. Meanwhile, defending Liberty League champion Union College dropped to 6-7 overall and just 2-5 in league games.

The contest ended up being a tale of two halves as Union dominated the first 20 minutes of the night. In the frame, the guests shot 50 percent from the field and 53 percent from three-point range. They led 44-31 at halftime and had extended their advantage to as many as 16 points early in the second half.

The Raptors meanwhile, only shot 36 percent in the opening half, before flipping the script in the second.

The second half saw Bard shoot the lights out, as the team scorched its way to a 58 percent mark from the field. The Dutchmen finished just 41 percent in the final half.

Rebounds were nearly identical, as Bard finished with 37 and Union with 34. The Raptors ended with fewer turnovers on the night, but the Dutchmen crushed Bard in bench points, outscoring the hosts, 30-10.

Luckily for Bard, its starting lineup continued to shine bright. Justyn Rogers led all players with 26 points in the win. He also grabbed 12 rebounds and thundered home a monstrous dunk late in the game to help propel the Raptors down the stretch. 

Alijah Rue continued his stellar season, as he finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. David Runcie added 13 points, while Armando Dunn chipped in 10 points and three blocks. 

For Union, Mike Concannon (Monroe, NY) led the way with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Brendan Laing (Babylon, NY) finished with 15 points in the loss.

Up next for the Raptors is a road contest at Skidmore College this weekend. That game is set for January 18th at 7 p.m. and you can follow it here.