Freshmen combined to score 54 points as the Muhlenberg men's basketball team put up a good fight in a 75-69 season-opening loss at Skidmore.

The Thoroughbreds, who started three seniors, led by as many as 13 points in the first half and by 11 at the midway point of the second half. The Mules used their three-point shooting to cut the margin to four, but Skidmore held on for the win.

Muhlenberg tied a school record, achieved twice previously (including once last year), with 15 threes, going 10-for-21 from downtown in the second half.

Freshman Dallas Hoffman scored 16 points, the most by a Mule freshman in his first game since 2011, with 13 of them coming in the second half. Classmate Dan Gaines also started and scored 15, while fellow first-years Nate Henty Brown (12 points, 8 rebounds), Joseph D'Amico (8 points on 3-of-3 shooting) and Noah Watson (3 points, 4 assists) all came off the bench to contribute.

"Veteran" sophomore Michael Morreale (pictured above) scored 13 points. 

Muhlenberg held Skidmore to 35.5-percent shooting but faced a big deficit at the free-throw line.