MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team fell in a hard-fought game against Wesleyan University Saturday afternoon by a 71-67 score.

 

RWU took control of the game early, opening with a 9-2 run and keeping the scoring advantage throughout the entire first half. At the 6:30 mark, the Hawks led 26-14 and appeared to be dictating the flow of the game. Yet the Cardinals continued to charge, closing out the half on a 15-4 run to trail only by one entering the final 20 minutes of play.

 

Carrying the momentum into the second half, Wesleyan stormed out with a 15-4 run of its own to take a 42-34 lead only four minutes into the period. Halfway through the half, both teams continued to trade basket, preventing the Hawks from chipping away at the deficit. Fortunately for the Hawks, the push that they needed came over the final eight minutes, with RWU trailing 56-50.

 

RWU held the Cardinals to only two points over a six minute stretch, with Corey Fava (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) draining a three-pointer with 2:33 left to tie the game at 60 apiece. A Stan Grayson tip-in with 1:56 left put the Cardinals back on top by two. The lead held until Geoff Baranger (Fairfield, Conn.) sent the game into overtime by sinking a jumper with one second left.

 

The Hawks' momentum could not carry over into the extra session, as Wesleyan scored the opening eight points of the period, putting RWU in a 70-62 hole with 1:12 to play. A layup with five seconds to play brought the Hawks within four, but would eventually not make a difference.

 

William Barrett (Fairfield, Conn.) and Dan Gumb (Patterson, N.Y.) each set a season-high in points with 19 apiece. Fava added 11 points with six assists.

 

Five Cardinals scored in double figures, including Nick Pelletier (Amherst, N.H.), who finished with 11 points and 17 rebounds.

 

Roger Williams (2-3) will return home Tuesday for an 8:00 matchup against TCCC rival Salve Regina University.