MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – In a contest that featured a staggering 14 ties and 26 lead changes, the Wesleyan men's basketball team missed just three shots in both overtime periods combined, ultimately prevailing in an epic 89-83 double overtime win over Hamilton on Saturday from Silloway Gym. Wesleyan (12-8, 3-3 NESCAC) snaps a three-game league losing streak in what was the final home game of the regular season for the Cardinals while the Continentals (9-11, 3-4 NESCAC) have lost four straight.
After neither side led by more than four points for well over 30 minutes of play, Wesleyan scored five unanswered points to take their biggest lead of the game at 59-51 with 5:52 remaining. The Cardinals continued to lead by six points with 2:46 left until Hamilton's Hank Morgan scored five quick points and Owen Kane converted in the paint to give the Continentals a 66-65 lead with 28 seconds left in regulation.
Needing points, it was
Shane Regan '25 who came through with a strong drive to the rim, shouldering heavy contact and converting a three-point play, making it 68-66 Cardinals with 16.2 seconds left. The three-point play for Regan proved crucial as Morgan was fouled on the other end and the leading scorer in the NESCAC came through, hitting both free throws to send the game into overtime.
Both sides were red hot in the first overtime, as Hamilton went 4-of-6 from the floor while the Cardinals were 4-of-7. Garret Keyhani hit the first triple of overtime, sending Hamilton to a 73-72 lead, but the back and forth continued with the lead changing hands on the next four consecutive possessions, until the closing seconds when Hamilton led 77-76.
Sam Pohlman '26 drove hard towards the rim, missing on his first attempt, but grabbing his own miss and drawing a foul with 1.6 seconds left. Pohlman stepped to the line, making the first, but missing the second and sending the game to a second overtime.
Regan shined in the final 5-minute frame, hitting a three-pointer on the wing on the first Wesleyan possession and hitting two free throws a minute later, giving the Cardinals an 82-77 advantage. Hamilton came up empty on their first four offensive possessions of the frame, but still hung close as Teja Singh buried a jumper to make it 84-81 Wesleyan with 1:17 left.
Keyani hit a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left, cutting the deficit to one, setting up a pulse-pounding possession that saw Regan drive the full length of the floor before dishing to
Jared Langs '25 for the layup in transition. Choosing to go for the quick two down three points, Hank Morgan missed his driving attempt at the rim with Langs securing the miss.
Langs then buried 1-of-2 free throws, making it a four-point game with 12.2 seconds left. Needing a three, Morgan pulled up from distance but hit front rim. The rebound caromed out to
Nicky Johnson '25 who saw no one in front of him, driving the floor for the exclamation point layup at the end, capping a thrilling home win.
Regan was at his very best on Saturday, going off for a career-high 31 points (9-19 FG, 11-14 FT) while matching a career-high with eight assists in 48 minutes. Langs made a valuable contribution with 18 points (7-12 FG) and 11 rebounds off the bench, good enough for his fourth double-double of the season and his first since December 29 against St. Joseph's (Maine).
Fritz Hauser '26 went 4-for-6 from three on his way to 12 points while Johnson and
Jackson Cormier '26 each finished with 10 points.
Morgan went for 30 points in defeat, scoring 23 points after halftime while going 11-for-23 from the floor. Keyhani tallied 20 points and nine rebounds while Singh finished with 14 points, four assists, and three blocks.
Wesleyan finished +8 in rebounds (44-36), grabbing 16 offensive rebounds compared to just eight for the Continentals. The Cardinals shot 45 percent from three (9-for-20), hit 22 free throws, and only committed nine turnovers in the 50-minute contest.
The Cardinals head out on the road for the remainder of the regular season, starting with a trip to Middlebury on Friday for a 7 PM tip.
