Men's Basketball Drops to #16 Wesleyan (Conn.) at Cruzin' Classic

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Shane Regan of the No. 16-ranked Wesleyan (Conn.) Cardinals' men's basketball team (10-0) dropped a game-high 25 points as the Cardinals used a fast start to pace themselves past the Wentworth Institute of Technology (1-8) by an 83-62 score on day one of the Cruzin' Classic tournament.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After two points from Jack Connell gave Wentworth an early lead and was matched by a Wesleyan layup, Connell drained a three to give the Leopards a 5-2 lead. Baskets by Fritz Hauser and Nicky Johnson gave the Cardinals a 6-5 edge. The two teams swapped scores, with the Black & Gold later pulling ahead 10-9 on a three by Nathan Brinkman.
• Down by one, the Cardinals ripped off a 24-4 run, featuring 13 points by Regan, to take a 33-14 lead with 3:01 to go in the half. A three by Niko Rosich cut the Leopards' deficit before being matched by another Regan three, raising the score to 36-17, before Rosich drained another three to mark a 36-20 game. The two teams traded baskets to end the half with Wesleyan holding on to a 41-23 advantage.
• Regan and Connell swapped baskets for their respective teams to open the second half before a make by Russell Dolabany marked a 45-27 score. A 5-0 run for the Cardinals was later stopped by a Dolabany three, marking a 50-30 game, before Wesleyan went on an 8-2 run to extend their lead to 58-32. A layup by Aiden Flaherty was followed up with five-straight from Johnson, pushing the score to 63-34.
• The two teams continued to trade scores with respective Dolabany and Rosich three-pointers pushing the contest to 68-42. A three by Oscar Edelman grew Wesleyan's lead to 71-42 before being answered with another three by Rosich. Two Hauser layups sandwiched a Brinkman three, raising the score to 75-48, before a 9-0 run for the Leopards that featured four points from Connell dwindled the deficit to 75-57.
• The two teams swapped scores to end the contest, with Wesleyan earning an 83-62 win. Regan led all scorers with 25 points (11-16 FG) and paced three other Cardinals with double-figures. Connell led the Leopards with 20 points, followed by Rosich with 14 (4-7 3PT FG) and Dolabany with nine. Additionally, Wentworth managed 14 points off turnovers to the Cardinals' four.

SERIES NOTES:

• Today marked the 4^th all-time meeting between the two teams.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards face off with Wartburg tomorrow at 12:00 p.m.
  

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