MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Four Hamilton College players scored in double figures and the Continentals posted a 73-60 NESCAC victory over the Middlebury College Panthers inside Middlebury's Pepin Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 14.
 

Season Update

• Hamilton (6-18, 2-8 NESCAC) snapped its six-game skid in its season finale.
• Middlebury (8-16, 1-9) finished its season on a four-game losing streak.

 

How It Happened

• There were six lead changes and four ties in the first half. The Continentals scored 12 straight points during the final five minutes of the half and put some distance between themselves and the Panthers. Middlebury didn't get closer than six points after halftime.
• Hamilton jumped out to an early lead thanks to Jalen Reese '27. Reese opened the scoring with a layup and splashed a three-pointer that helped the Continentals jump in front 7-4.
• Evan Flaks hit a three-pointer with 8:17 to go and put the Panthers up 18-14, but Jack Stowell '27 responded with a tough layup plus the foul and Hamilton retook the lead, 19-18.
• The Continentals began to pull away at the end of the half. David Melson '29 hit a pull-up jumper that capped a 12-0 run and made the score 34-22 in favor of Hamilton at the break.
• Reese opened the second half with a fadeaway jumper and gave the Continentals their largest lead of 14 points at 36-22.
• Middlebury's Edward Witherington threw down an empathetic dunk and made a layup 19 seconds later that cut the Panthers' deficit to six points at 48-42 with 11:07 to go.
• Garret Keyhani '26 dished a great pass to Nate Raub '27 under the hoop for a layup with 3:31 to go as the Continentals took a 61-50 lead. Hamilton led by eight points or more during the final seven minutes.

 

Notes

• Reese stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals. It was his third double-double this season but his first since November. He's fifth in the NESCAC with 7.9 rebounds per game.
• Melson contributed 14 points and nine boards.
• Stowell made all nine of his free throw attempts and finished with 13 points, which was his second-highest total this season.
• Keyhani recorded 11 points, three assists and two blocked shots in his last game at Hamilton. He finished his 82-game career with 823 points, 369 rebounds and 57 blocks.
• Evan O'Reilly '29 chipped in eight points in 13 minutes for the Continentals.
• Dominick Ducree scored a team-high 13 points off the bench for Middlebury. Witherington added eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
• Hamilton had a big advantage at the free-throw line where the Continentals went 25-for-27 (92.6 percent). The Panthers attempted just 14 free throws.
• The Continentals secured 47 rebounds to the Panthers' 40.
• Hamilton's defense held Middlebury to just 30.9% shooting from the field including 7-of-34 from beyond the arc.
• The Continentals thrived in transition with 15 fast-break points.