The Hamilton College men's basketball team took the lead for good with a 9-0 run midway through the second half and the Continentals went on to post a 97-88 non-conference win against the Western Connecticut State University Colonials at WCSU's Feldman Arena on Tuesday afternoon.

Hamilton (3-0 overall) and their high-powered offense racked up 97 points for the second straight game. The Continentals average nearly 90 points per game and boast a rebounding margin of plus-11.7 so far this season.

Tim Doyle '19 led Hamilton in scoring with 21 points after he was 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Kena Gilmour '20 posted his first double-double for the Continentals with 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Gilmour, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the Elmira College Tip-Off Tournament on Sunday, handed out a career-best six assists.

Peter Hoffmann '19 dropped in 18 points for Hamilton and Andrew Groll '19 recorded his 14th career double-double with 12 points and 13 boards off the bench. Mark Lutz '20 came off the bench to score all 11 of his points in the second half. Michael Grassey '19 grabbed nine rebounds and helped lead the Continentals to a 50-39 advantage on the glass.

Tyler Rowe racked up 38 points for the Colonials (1-2). Rowe was 13 of 25 from the field, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc, and went 6-for-7 at the free-throw line. Fenton Bradley, Jr. recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Rashard Rodriguez chipped in nine points and 11 boards. Chaunce Dunbar added 11 points off the bench and Geary McLeod dished out five assists.

Hamilton held a 44-39 advantage at the break and led for the entire second half except when Dunbar drained a 3-pointer that put Western Connecticut ahead 57-55 with 14 minutes left. The Continentals responded with nine straight points on a trio of 3-pointers. Gilmour passed to Lutz for the first two and then Gilmour sank his own for a 64-57 cushion with 12:43 remaining. The Colonials didn't get closer than five points the rest of the way.

Western Connecticut was still within five at 86-81 with 3:06 to go after a layup by McLeod but an 8-0 spurt clinched the win for the Continentals. The Colonials missed four shots and committed a turnover on their next five possessions while Hamilton went on its run. Gilmour and Groll made two free throws apiece, and Hoffmann capped the run with two layups for a 94-81 lead with 32 seconds left.

The first half featured four ties and eight lead changes. Western Connecticut took its largest lead of 10 points on two free throws by Rodriguez that made it 31-21 with 6:29 remaining. The Continentals roared back with a 15-2 run that featured five points from both Gilmour and Doyle. Gilmour's trifecta gave Hamilton a 36-33 edge with 2:45 to go. Doyle's two free throws with 8 seconds left sent the Continentals into the locker room with the 44-39 lead.

Hamilton plays its home opener at Margaret Bundy Scott Field House on Tuesday, Nov. 28 against SUNY New Paltz at 7 p.m.