Ranked 10th nationally in the latest D3Hoops.com poll, Middlebury (16-1, 4-0 NESCAC) remained atop the NESCAC standings, tied with fifth-ranked Williams, after holding off Wesleyan (6-11, 0-4) for a 77-69 road win. Middlebury, the defending NESCAC tournament champion, has now won six in a row since being upset at home by Colby-Sawyer following a 10-0 start.

Middlebury met quite a challenge from the homestanding Cardinals. Each time it appeared the Panthers were ready to put Wesleyan away, the Cardinals charged back to keep it close. The teams started out in a tight battle with neither team leading by more than five as Middlebury held leads to 15-10 and 27-22 in the first half. After a Wesleyan miss, Nolan Thompson hit a three-pointer for a 30-22 lead with about five minutes to go in the half. Wesleyan got treys from Mike Callaghan and Derick Beresford and a basket from frosh Dave Fogel to knot the count at 30-30 with 2:56 left. Middlebury's reaction was a 10-0 run to halftime with senior Tim Edwards accounting for half the points.

Wesleyan used the opening 6:30 of the second half to go on a 14-4 run and tie the game once again at 44-44. Fogel, who finished with 10 points, and Callaghan, who had 13, each posted four points during the span. Middlebury never fell behind but felt the pressure from the Cardinals as leads of four to six points couldn't be maintained. Wesleyan closed to 58-57 with 5:25 to go. Two big three-pointers from Jake Wolfin, who chipped in with 15 points, gave the Panthers breathing room at 64-57 with 4:15 left. When he made it nine straight points for his side at the 1:30 mark with his fifth trey of the game, Middlebury led 67-59. Thompson, who led all scorers with 21 points, scored eight of the Panthers final 10 points, six of them from the line in the final 1:10.

Shasha Brown led Wesleyan with 15 points as rookies accounted for 52 of the Cardinals' 69 points and 144 of 200 minutes played.

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