WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Wesleyan men's basketball team rang in the new year and the start of NESCAC play with a dominant 84-71 road win over Williams on Friday night from the Chandler Athletic Center. The Cardinals improve to 10-4 (1-0 NESCAC) while sweeping the Ephs in the regular season for the second straight year. Williams falls to 10-3 (0-1 NESCAC) with the loss in the conference opener for both teams.
 
Three Cardinals combined to score 63 of the team's 84 total points on the night, with Zach Wolinski '28 and Fritz Hauser '26 both turning in career games. Wolinski went 9-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-6 from three on his way to a career-high 26-point night. The sophomore guard extended his streak of double-digit point totals to nine straight. Hauser tied his career-high with 21 points while grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds to finish with his first career double-double. Hauser shot 4-of-6 from three and 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the contest.
 
The game was won in the first half wherein the Cardinals held the Ephs scoreless for nearly 10 straight minutes of play, as Williams watched their 8-5 lead turn into a 27-8 advantage for Wesleyan which later saw the Cardinals lead 40-15 at halftime. A stifling defensive display saw Wesleyan hold Williams to a 4-for-31 showing from the floor (12.9 percent) throughout the first half while the Ephs also went 1-of-14 (7.1 percent) on three's.
 
As is nearly every Wesleyan vs. Williams tussle, the defenses dominated from the opening tip. Just two total field goals were made between the two sides in the opening 4:37 minutes of play. The Ephs strung together some successful possessions to build an 8-5 lead with 13:30 left in the first half, but from that point forward, the Cardinals dominated in all facets.
 
Hauser splashed in a three-pointer that kickstarted a 22-0 run for the visitors. Wolinski followed the Hauser three with a three-point play and the points continued to fly in, with Oscar Edelman '28 putting a cap on the scoring run with a three-pointer to make it a 19-point game late on in the first half.
 
Wesleyan continued to find success in the late sin the stages of the first half, getting a Wolinski three-pointer followed by a three-point play to make it 40-15 at the break.
 
After nearly 10 straight scoreless minutes, the Ephs came out firing in the second half, netting three three-pointers in a span of two minutes to cut into the Wesleyan lead. The Cardinals led by 17 points with 17:45 still on the clock, but that was as close as the Ephs would get to Wesleyan's scoring total up until the final minutes of the second half.
 
The two sides would trade baskets for the next 13+ minutes before Williams looked to make a run as the clock started to become a factor. The scoring margin dropped to 11 with well over one minute remining, but free throws helped ice the game away down the stretch before the Cardinals ultimately closed out the 13-point road win.
 
Sam Pohlman '26 stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points (6-11 FG), nine rebounds, and six assists. Oscar Edelman '28 added seven points and seven rebounds.
 
The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday afternoon with a 2 PM tip at Middlebury.
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