Box Score

CLINTON, NY (January 16, 2009) -- The Vassar men's basketball team garnered a 23-point, 7 rebound performance from senior forward Matt Nunn (Lower Gynwedd, PA/Abington Friends) and had host Hamilton tied at halftime, but fell behind early in the second half and couldn't recover, losing its Liberty League opener, 61-52, Friday evening at Scott Field House.

The Brewers drop to 5-7, 0-1, while the Continentals, fresh off a big win over Williams, improve to 8-4, 1-0. Vassar continues Liberty League play on Saturday against Hobart at 4:00 p.m. Hamilton will host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute tomorrow.

Nunn, who has scored in double figures in all games but one this season, scored 12 first half points and helped the Brewers break from the gate quickly. A layup by senior forward Joe Davis (East Amherst, NY/St. Joseph's Institute) with 14:36 to play in the first half provided the Brewers with a 12-4 lead.

With nine minutes to play in the opening session, Hamilton took a 17-15 lead following a 3-poiner from freshman guard Ephraim McDowell (Boston, MA/Beaver Country Day School) and the two teams see-sawed back and forth, heading into intermission tied at 27-27. During the final six minutes, Nunn scored six points to ensure the second 20 minutes would start even.

The Continentals started the second half in the same fashion as the Brewers started the game. Hamilton went on a 12-6 run to take a 41-33 lead with 15 minutes to play. A 3-point field goal by Vassar freshman guard Caleb McGraw (Sitka, AK/Mount Edgecombe) stemmed that run, bringing the Brewers within five points at 41-36 with 13:47 to play.

Hamilton then scored the next eight points, getting six of them from sophomore guard Lance Wilson (Plymouth Meeting, PA/Plymouth-Whitemarsh) for a commanding 49-36 lead. The Brewers could draw no closer than five points, 55-50, following a 3-pointer by McGraw with 1:44 to play. The Continentals had enough to resolve down the stretch to secure the victory.

McGraw had 12 points for the Brewers, the 11th straight game he has tallied double figures. The Brewers struggled with their shooting, connecting on a 32 percent field goal percentage, and just 27 percent from 3-point distance.

Wilson led Hamilton in scoring with 15 points on 7 of 10 from the field. Freshman forward Patrick Sullivan (Madison, NJ/Delbarton School) chipped in with 14 points and senior forward Harlee Wood (Clinton, MD/Bishop McNamara High School) had a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds.