Men's Basketball Challenges No. 11 Hamilton

The Wells College men's basketball team completed the non-conference portion of its season and battled a nationally-ranked opponent on Monday, Jan. 28 at the Schwartz Athletic Center. Hamilton College, ranked 11th in the current D3hoops.com national poll, jumped out to a 15-point lead and won by that same margin, taking an 80-65 win over the Express.

The largest lead of the game for Hamilton was a 25-point margin with 14:42 remaining in the second half, but Wells charged back into the contest. The Express went on a 15-4 run over the next three minutes that included 3-point baskets by Ty McBride, Zach D'Arpino, a three-point play by Jalen Tribble and a 6-for-6 sequence at the foul line as McBride, Tribble, and Dylan Frost converted free-throw opportunities.

Wells pulled within 11 with 4:19 remaining after D'Arpino made a pair of foul shots to make the score 69-58, but Hamilton scored the next seven points and closed out the victory.

Four players scored in double figures in a balanced offensive effort for the Express.

D'Arpino led Wells with 15 points, McBride scored 13, Tribble had 12, and Frost scored 10. Tribble had eight rebounds, and McBride had five steals.

Wells was 22-for-25 at the free-throw line. Wells had 14 offensive rebounds, which led to 21 second-chance points.

Half of Hamilton's field goals were made behind the 3-point arc as the Continentals shot 14-for-30 from long range, including six 3-pointers made by Mark Lutz, who led all scorers in the game with 22 points.

Hamilton improved to 17-2 on the season and Wells is 3-14. The Express is back in action Wednesday, Jan. 30 with a North Eastern Athletic Conference game at Cazenovia at 7 p.m.