Men's Basketball Upended By Gallaudet, 66-54

WASHINGTON – Sophomore Darius Smith (Lanham, Md.) led the Wells College men's basketball team in point scoring Sunday afternoon as the Express posted a 66-54 loss to Gallaudet University. Wells falls to 5-15 (5-7 NEAC) while the host Bison won their eighth-straight contest, improving to 15-5 and to 11-3 within league play. 

Smith poured home 13 points after shooting 5-for-11 from the floor, including three field goals from long distance. Senior Joe Walton (Ocala, Fla.) tallied 11 points off the bench, shooting 4-for-8 from the field while hauling in 11 rebounds for Wells. Classmate EZ Garcia (Cotulla, Texas) registered four takeaways for the Express.

Wells jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the game's first 33 seconds as a Chris Courtney (Auburn, N.Y.) trey preceded heavy offensive pressure, forcing a Gallaudet timeout in the first minute of play. A Smith three-point basket only 90 seconds into the game elevated the Wells lead to 6-0. The Express lost the lead but regained it following back-to-back free throws by senior Jordan Jean (Englewood, N.J.) with 2:46 left in the first. 

Leading 19-18 following the back-to-back free throws, a Courtney jumper granted Wells the 21-18 advantage, but three-straight field goals created a 24-21 lead for the Bison at the half. Wells, however, would fail to regain the lead as Gallaudet utilized lethal shooting, making 15-of-23 field goals in the game's final 20 minutes. 

Joshua McGriff led the way for Gallaudet, scoring 19 points off the bench. Trey Gordon lived up to his name, scoring 18 points after shooting four three-point field goals. Raymond Nelson was 7-for-13 from the floor, tallying 17 points for the hosts.