CLINTON, N.Y. - Hamilton College scored the first eight points and the Continentals dominated from start to finish in a 71-58 non-conference win over the SUNY Morrisville Mustangs on Hamilton's Coach Tom Murphy Court inside Margaret Bundy Scott Field House on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 3.
 

Season Update

• Hamilton (3-9 overall) earned its first victory since Nov. 21.
• SUNY Morrisville (2-7), which is 1-1 in the SUNYAC, dropped its third straight game.

 

How It Happened

• Matthew Rideout '27 got off to a scorching start for the Continentals, recording two steals and knocking down four three-pointers in the first four minutes, and accounting for 12 of Hamilton's first 14 points.
• SUNY Morrisville did not score until 3:16 into the first half on a made free throw by Jalyn Moorehead. The Mustangs' first field goal came more than three minutes later on a three-pointer by Jacob Works that made it 14-4.
• Hamilton continued to build its lead throughout the first half. A jumper by David Melson '29 with 5:06 remaining put the Continentals ahead by 21 points at 30-9, their largest lead of the first half.
• Robert Cain '28 drilled Hamilton's sixth three-pointer of the half with 1:46 left and extended the lead to 36-19. The Continentals forced 13 turnovers and held the Mustangs to 2-of-13 (15.4 percent) from beyond the arc in the opening half. Hamilton went into the break up 37-19.
• Hamilton carried its momentum into the second half as Jack Stowell '27 opened the period with a jumper and a layup that made it 41-19.
• The Continentals' aggressive defense resulted in foul trouble as Hamilton committed seven fouls in the first 7:53 of the half.
• SUNY Morrisville trimmed its deficit to 17 at 43-26 following a layup by Moorehead, but Rideout answered with a three-pointer that quickly pushed the lead back to 20 four minutes into the half.
• Bruce Wingate gave the Mustangs some hope with two layups and a step-back jumper within a span of two minutes that cut the Continentals' lead to 13 at 50-37 with 9:59 remaining.
• Hamilton responded with a layup by Cain and a three-point play by Femi Ogundijo '29 in the next minute and never looked back.
• Garret Keyhani '26 contributed six points over the final six minutes for the Continentals, and Morrisville didn't get closer than 12 points down the stretch.

 
 

Notes

• Rideout led Hamilton with 23 points and four steals. He tied a career high with five three-pointers and is tied for 11^th in the NESCAC with a three-point field goal percentage of 38.2 percent (26-68). Rideout is tied for fifth in the conference with 15.5 points per game.
• Jalen Reese '27 played a key role on both ends of the floor, finishing with 11 rebounds, a season-high five assists and three steals. Reese is second in the NESCAC with 9.4 boards per game.
• Keyhani dropped in a season-best 13 points.
• Avion Grainger led SUNY Morrisville with 13 points, including 10 of the Mustangs' 19 first-half points. Wingate added a dozen off the bench.
• SUNY Morrisville shot 25.9 percent (7-27) from the field in the first half.
• The Continentals limited Jacob Works -- SUNY Morrisville's leading scorer -- to seven points.
• Hamilton held the lead the entire contest and led by double digits for the last 36 minutes.

 

Next Game

The Continentals travel to West Hartford, Conn., to face University of Saint Joseph (6-6) on Tuesday, Jan. 6 for a 3 p.m. tipoff.