NASHUA, N.H. – Southern Vermont College used a 53-point second half surge to rebound from a 21-point first half deficit and rush past host Daniel Webster College, 88-82 in a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) men's basketball matchup Thursday night at Mario Vagge Gymnasium.
SVC sophomore DeShawn Hamlet (Hartford, Conn.) registered 26 points, including a pair of key three-point plays inside the final three minutes, and added nine rebounds as the Mountaineers (14-8, 8-5 NECC) took their first lead with 3:40 remaining and didn't trail the rest of the way.
Mountaineer freshman Brandon Casella (Pittsfield, Mass.) added a season-best 16 points for the winners with freshman Rayshawn Taylor (Silver Spring, Md.) connecting for another 14 off the bench. Freshman guard Eddie Mack III (Hartford, Conn.) chipped in with 12 points.
Ryan Gauther (Nashua, N.H.) led the Eagles (12-8, 5-6 NECC) with a game-high 27 points including five three-pointers while Kevin Perez (Nashua, N.H.) notched 17 points. Ray Farmer (Nashua, N.H.) hit for a double-double of 16 points and 10 boards while dishing out a game-high seven assists and pulling in four steals. Daris Cosby (Utica, N.Y.) picked up 12 points for the hosts.
SVC controlled the tempo inside, finishing with a 46-32 advantage on the glass including a key 22 offensive boards that resulted in 29 second-chance points.
DWC sizzled over the opening 15 minutes and shot 59 percent in the first half. The high-water mark reached 21 after an Aiden Collins (Paterson, N.J.) jumper with 3:29 left, but SVC answered by closing the period on a 13-2 run including a Taylor three that beat the buzzer for a 45-35 game at the break.
SVC continued to streak over the opening minutes of the second using a 10-2 run to shave the lead down to two (47-45) after a Dolapo Olugbile (Laurel, Md.) layup with 16:57 remaining.
Daniel Webster answered with a Farmer layup that sparked a slow 12-7 Eagle response. That pushed the lead back out to seven after another Farmer inside move for a 59-52 game at the 12:07 mark.
DWC still led by six (68-62) after a Perez layup with 7:30 left, but SVC charged again with an 8-2 run, tying it at 70 on an Izzy Melton (Silver Spring, Md.) layup with 5:50 to go.
Tied at 72, Hamlet went to work inside, giving the Mountaineers their first lead with a pair at the line with 3:40 to go. He then converted two straight three-point plays with 2:55 and 2:41 left to push the lead out to seven.
A Collins jumper and Perez free throw pulled the Eagles within five (82-77) with 59 seconds on the clock, but a Taylor layup and another from Mack clinched it over the next 30 seconds.
Next up for the Mountaineers is a 3 p.m. Saturday contest at Wheelock College, and Daniel Webster also takes to the road Saturday as the Eagles visit Newbury College for a 12 p.m. tip.