NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Connecticut College men's basketball team hung on for an 84-83 victory over No. 19 Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon in a NESCAC showdown at Luce Field House.

The Camels trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half before rallying back to hand the Cardinals their first league loss of the season. Elias Espinosa (Leonia, N.J.) netted 12 of his team-high 20 points after the intermission to lead the comeback, and Dylan Watson (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) also supplied 12 points in the stanza. 

A Watson free throw with 2.0 seconds to play snapped an 83-83 deadlock. Wesleyan took a timeout with 1.7 seconds remaining to set up the final play, but the ensuing halfcourt heave came up short and sent the Camel crowd into a frenzy.

Espinosa shot 7-for-12 from the floor and 4-for-6 from deep in the final regular season home game of his career. Watson ended with 17 points and seven rebounds while Greg Cantwell (Glen Head, N.Y.) added 14 points and five assists. RJ Casey (Nashville, Tenn.), who got the starting nod on Senior Day, finished with season highs of 11 points and five assists.

Zach Wolinski paced Wesleyan (16-5 overall, 6-1 NESCAC) with 25 points on 8-for-17 shooting. Oscar Edelman added 12 points while Sam Pohlman rounded out the Cardinals in double figures with 10.

Conn led by as many as eight in the early going thanks to a fast start. The Cardinals fought back to tie the score at 22-22 with 8:03 left in the half, and by the 1:00 mark the visitors had built an eight-point advantage of their own. The Camels closed the half with a jumper by Cantwell and a three by Espinosa to make it a 42-39 game at the break.

The momentum carried over into the second half as the Camels opened with a dunk by Watson and another Espinosa three to pull in front. Minutes later, Wesleyan scored 11 straight points to take its biggest lead of the game at 57-47 with 15:26 to go.

Conn answered right back with an 8-1 spurt that included threes by Garrett Clar (Victor, N.Y.) and James LaFrance (Guilford, Conn.) to keep it close. The Camels eventually took the lead behind a 10-0 stretch that was bookended by triples from Espinosa and Cantwell, leaving the hosts with a 72-65 advantage with 7:16 to play.

The final 3:28 was contested within a three-point window, with the lead changing hands four times before the final buzzer. After Watson canned a pair of free throws to tie the game at 83-83 with 1:44 left, both sides squandered chances to take the lead. 

Wolinski gave the Cardinals a chance for the last shot after intercepting a pass on the defensive end with 14 seconds to go. He then dribbled up the court, only to have Espinosa poke the ball away from behind. Espinosa then saved the ball from going over the baseline, setting the Camels up for a final chance. Cantwell found a cutting Watson from the wing, and the Conn big man drew a foul on his way to the bucket. He made the first free throw but missed the second, and after a timeout the Cardinals came up short on a desperation heave for the win.

Prior to the game the Camels honored four seniors—Casey, Espinosa, Martin Wilson (Roxbury, Mass.) and Quron Zene Jr. (Windsor, Conn.)—in a special ceremony. The group has produced a total of 59 wins over their four seasons. 

Conn (15-6 overall, 3-4 NESCAC) will next play at Hamilton College on Friday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m.