Trinity College's Alexander Conaway scored 16 points and the Bantams held off the Hamilton College Continentals 62-53 in a NESCAC game at Trinity's Oosting Gymnasium on Jan. 11.
Box Score
The Bantams (9-5, 1-1 NESCAC) fell behind 3-0 in the game's opening moments but they scored the next six points and led the rest of the afternoon. Trinity committed 19 turnovers to Hamilton's 10, but the Bantams limited the Continentals to 28 percent (14-50) shooting from the field, including 2 of 16 from 3-point range.
Jaquann Starks chipped in 13 points and seven assists for the hosts. Edward Ogundeko had nine points and 10 rebounds and Shay Ajayi added eight points and eight boards. Trinity held a slight 33-30 edge on the glass.
Bradley Gifford '15 posted his sixth double-double of the season and his second in as many days with 16 points and 10 rebounds for Hamilton. Matt Hart '16 dropped in 16 points, Greg Newton '14 scored nine points and handed out five assists and Ajani Santos '16 contributed eight rebounds and two blocked shots. The Continentals went 23-for-28 (82 percent) at the free-throw line.
The Bantams' largest lead in the first half was 10 points at 25-15 with 6:58 left after a 3-pointer by Rick Naylor. Hamilton responded with an 8-0 run that made it 25-23 with 3:30 to go. Newton started the spurt with a basket and Hart, Peter Kazickas '15 and Gifford made two free throws each. Trinity scored the next six points and went back up by eight, but Gifford's layup just before the buzzer pulled the Continentals within 31-25 at the break.
The Bantams scored the first four points of the second half and their lead grew to as much as 15 at 52-37 on a Steve Spirou layup with 7:57 remaining. Hamilton came back with a 10-0 run and was within five points at 52-47 with just under five minutes to play. Jack Donnelly '16 made two free throws, Santos and Newton made buckets and Hart finished the spurt with a pair of free throws and a jumper.
The Continentals (7-7, 0-2) cut their deficit to five points twice in the final minute but didn't get any closer. Trinity shot 52.6 percent (10-19) from the floor and made 10 of 11 free throws in the second half.
Hamilton returns home to face Colby College for another NESCAC contest on Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.
