MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Wesleyan University's Zach Wolinski led all scorers with 21 points and the Cardinals recorded a 69-57 NESCAC victory against the Hamilton College Continentals inside Wesleyan's Silloway Gymnasium on Friday night, Jan. 16.
 

Season Update

• Hamilton (4-11, 1-1 NESCAC) defeated Bates College 74-69 in its conference opener on Jan. 11.
• Wesleyan (13-4, 3-0) won its fourth straight game.

 

How It Happened

• After a tightly contested first half that featured eight lead changes and three ties, Wesleyan took control midway through the second half with 12 straight points for a 52-37 advantage.
• Hamilton opened the second half strong with an early basket by David Melson '29 and carried that momentum into a 7-0 run. The spurt included a Garret Keyhani '26 three-pointer – his fifth of the night -- that cut the Continentals' deficit to three points at 40-37.
• Wesleyan called a timeout and responded with the 12-0 run fueled by six points over a three-minute stretch by Wolinski.
• Matthew Rideout '27 ended Hamilton's nearly seven-minute scoring drought by knocking down a three-pointer with 9:45 remaining and trimming Wesleyan's lead to 12 at 52-40.
• Wesleyan extended its advantage to 16 at 56-40, its largest of the game, following two made free throws by Wolinski and a jumper by Fritz Hauser with 7:54 remaining.
• Rideout answered with two pull-up jumpers that cut Wesleyan's lead to seven at 57-50 with 4:02 to play, but the Cardinals' lead never dropped below eight points during the final three minutes.
• In the first half, neither team led by more than five points until the final 1:18.
• Wesleyan opened the scoring with a three-pointer by Hauser. Hamilton took its first lead at 4-3 following a free throw by Nate Raub '27 and a three-pointer by Keyhani with 16:42 remaining.
• Jalen Reese '27 provided an early spark for the Continentals, converting a finish in the paint that gave Hamilton a 21-20 advantage with 6:00 to go. 
• After Hamilton led for nearly 10 minutes, Wesleyan closed the half on an 8-0 run over the final 1:18.
• The run closed with five straight points by Sam Pohlman, including a layup and a free throw on a three-point play, and the Cardinals took a 40-30 lead into halftime.

 
 

Notes

• Keyhani recorded a career-high five three-pointers and was the only Continental to make a three-pointer in the first half. He finished with a season-high 17 points.
• In the opening 15 minutes Reese totaled eight points and six rebounds. He ended up with 10 points, seven boards and four assists.
• Rideout chipped in 14 points and tied a season high with five assists.
• Jaalan Watson finished a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor and scored 10 points off the bench for the Cardinals.
• Pohlman posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds and handed out six assists.
• Oscar Edelman dropped in 13 points.
• The Cardinals outrebounded Hamilton 42-32, including a 19-8 edge on offensive boards.
• Wesleyan shot just 23.5 percent (8-34) from the field in the second half, but went 13-for-19 at the free-throw line.
• The Cardinals scored 17 second-chance points to Hamilton's none, and had 21 points off 17 turnovers by the Continentals.

 

Next Game

The Continentals travel to face Trinity College (15-0, 3-0) on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 3 p.m. in Hartford, Conn.