The 21st-ranked Middlebury men's basketball team utilized a 15-4 run to close the first half and a 19-5 spurt to open the second stanza for a 76-64 triumph over New England College.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Deadlocked at 8-8 with 4:38 elapsed in the opening half, the Pilgrims rattled off a quick 6-0 run for a 14-8 edge on a basket by Alex Williams.
- The Panthers responded with a 7-1 spurt, fueled by four points by Sam Stevens, to tie the contest at 15-15 with 11:39 on the clock.
- Trailing by two (23-21) with 4:25 left, the hosts concluded the stanza on a 15-4 run, including six points from Kuba Cwalina, for a 36-27 halftime lead.
- The Panther momentum continued after the break, grabbing their largest advantage of the contest at 23 (55-32) on a stepback jumper from Evan Flaks with 13:52 left.
- New England College answered with 20 of the next 26 points spanning the ensuing 7:27 of action, pulling within nine (61-52) on a layup by Nick Gomeau.
- Middlebury ripped off a 6-1 run for a 67-53 advantage at the 4:53 mark on a pair of free throws by Cwalina.
- The Piligrims utilized a 14-5 spurt, slicing the deficit to eight (72-64) on a bucket from Gomeau with 50 seconds remaining.
- A pair of charity tosses from Edward Witherington and Stevens in the final minute provided the 76-64 decision.
NOTES
- Cwalina concluded with a career-high point total for the second-consecutive contest, pouring in 24 points with 16 coming in the opening half.
- Flaks posted a season-high 21 points, finishing with a career-best five shots from beyond the arc while handing out four assists.
- David Brennan corralled a game-high 15 rebounds in the victory, giving the senior 35 double-digit rebounding games in his career. He tacked on three assists and recorded a pair of steals.
- The programs played for the ninth time with Middlebury winning every matchup.
The Panthers return to action on Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. contest against #3 Emory in the opening game of the UAA Challenge. The cross-conference event is being hosted by Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
