MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Austin Hutcherson dropped a game-high 25 points as the Wesleyan University men's basketball team rolled past Manhattanville College, 99-62, in its first game of the new year on Wednesday night. The Cardinals' 99 points are a season-high.
Wesleyan dominated all areas of the game as it improved to 8-3 on the year with its fifth-straight win. The Valiants were led by Sean Smith's 19 points as they dropped to 6-7 overall.
FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS:
- Wesleyan came out hot to start the game and jumped out to a 10-0 lead following a layup by Austin Hutcherson at the 17:33 mark.
- Wesleyan continued to increase its lead and with 7:51 remaining in the half, a layup by Antone Walker put the home team up by 20 (34-14).
- The Cardinals closed out the half on a 15-4 run to lead 49-21 at the break.
- Hutcherson led all players with 16 points at halftime.
SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS:
- It was much of the same in the second half as the Cardinals opened with a 15-6 run to pull ahead by 37 as they never looked back.
- Wesleyan led by as much as 45 in the final 20 minutes of play en route to the decisive victory.
- Jordan Bonner led the Cardinals in the second half with 10 points and Jens Ulrich-Verderber dropped seven in only six minutes of action.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Five players scored in double-figures for Wesleyan. Walker dropped 13, Jordan James scored 12, and Bonner and JR Bascom each scored 10. Bonner and James also recorded double-doubles with 14 and 11 rebounds, respectively. Bascom, Bonner, and Hutcherson led the team with three assists each.
- Smith was the lone Manhattanville player in double-digits as the rest of the starters scored just nine points. Connor Yetman led the team with eight boards and Petey Galgano had a game-high eight assists.
- Wesleyan held a 55-32 edge in rebounding and outscored the Valiants in the paint, 60-26.
UP NEXT:
- The Cardinals are back in action on Friday, Jan. 4 and will open NESCAC play with an away game against No. 2 Williams. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
