The 13th-ranked Middlebury basketball team was fueled by several career-best performances, fending off Colby 72-63. The Panthers completed a 2-0 weekend over NESCAC opponents and picked up their third-straight triumph over a conference foe.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Middlebury opened the game on a 10-2 run over the initial 3:19, with all of the points coming from either David Brennan or Alex Sobel.
• The Panthers slowly increased their lead before taking a 21-9 advantage on a three-pointer from Nash Goldman.
• A 4-0 spurt by the Mules cut the deficit back down to single digits (21-13) with just under 10 minutes remaining in the half. 
• Noah Osher sank a shot from beyond the arc with 5:41 showing on the clock, before a layup by Sam Stevens gave Middlebury a 31-19 lead. 
• With just two seconds left on the shot clock, Osher converted another three, this time with 1:15 left in the half to give the Panthers their largest lead of the initial frame (36-23).
• Colby rattled off a 5-0 burst to close out the stanza, cutting the Middlebury lead down to 36-28.
• The early stages of the second half went back and forth before Sobel's second dunk of the night at the 14:11 mark gave the Panthers some breathing room (46-35).
• Middlebury continued to slowly pull away, taking a 14-point advantage (62-48) on a three from Evan Flaks with 6:35 to go. 
• Noah Tyson helped Colby mount a comeback attempt with just over five minutes remaining, going on a solo 10-2 run. 
• Tyson was able to cut the Panther lead to five (66-61) with 1:47 to go, but Middlebury finished the game with a 6-2 spurt, knocking down four free throws for the 72-63 win.

NOTES

• David Brennan tallied his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 boards. 
• Middlebury had a pair of career-best performances during the win. Stevens had three steals and Sobel tied his personal record with seven blocks.
• Sobel's 15 points today move him into a tie for 23rd on Middlebury's all-time scoring list with 1,018.