Box Score NEW LONDON, Conn.--Junior guard BJ Davis (Hamden, Conn.) poured in a game-high 23 points to lead the Wesleyan University men's basketball team to a 80-62 NESCAC victory at Connecticut College Saturday.
Davis was 6-for-11 from the field, 3-for-5 long distance and 8-for-10 at the charity stripe. He added eight rebounds and six assists in the triumph.
Wesleyan improved its record to 13-5 while evening its conference mark at 2-2. The Camels slipped to 7-9 with the setback and are 0-4 in NESCAC play.
Sophomore Harry Rafferty (Dubuque, Iowa) contributed 22 points for the winning side. Sophomore Joseph Kuo (New York, N.Y.) registered a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Cardinals.
Connecticut College sophomore Zuri Pavlin (New York, N.Y.) posted a team-high 14 points with six rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists. Freshman Alex Tonhazy (New York, N.Y.) had 12 points for the Camels. Isaiah Robinson (Lynn, Mass.) reached double digits with 10 points, five rebounds and two steals.
"We are disappointed to lose," Connecticut College Head Men's Basketball Coach Tom Satran said. "Congratulations to Wesleyan who played very well. Our execution on both ends wasn't consistently solid enough to beat a team of this caliber."
In a see-saw back and forth first half of action, Robinson took a nice dish from Aaron Swenson (Waltham, Mass.) for a hoop in the post to force the eighth tie of the contest at 24 with 6:35 remaining.
Wesleyan countered with a 5-to-0 run, building a 29-24 edge when Tim Gallivan (East Walpole, Mass.) put back his own missed shot with 4:52 to go.
The Camels responded though, and when Sean McNally (Hanover, Mass.) dialed long distance with a three-ball from the right side of the arch with 2:33 to go, the Camels enjoyed a 32-31 advantage.
But then it was Wesleyan's turn to end the half with a flurry and the Cardinals did just that with a 10-0 run. Davis buried a triple with 40 seconds left before the intermission and the visitors carried a 41-32 advantage into the break.
Wesleyan extended its advantage to 15 points when Rafferty dumped in a three ball from the left side with 17:17 to play. Rafferty dropped in another three with 10:42 remaining to push the Cardinals' advantage to 60-42.
But Pavlin and the Camels continued to battle back. The sophomore forward scored back to back hoops to trim the deficit to nine. Pavlin's second hoop was a nicely executed runner that he kissed off the glass for a deuce that made it a 63-54 contest with 4:09 to go.
But Kuo helped the Cardinals put this game away, scoring six points during an 8-to-1 run, capping off the rally with a hoop at the 2:02 mark the pushed the lead back to 71-55 in favor of the visitors.
The Cardinals were able to hang on for the 80-62 win.
