MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The top-seeded Wesleyan men's basketball team put on a defensive clinic on Saturday afternoon, holding the five-seed Bates to 30.3 percent shooting from the floor, in a 66-49 win over the Bobcats in the NESCAC Semifinal round. With the win, the Cardinals (21-5) advance to the NESCAC Championship game for the second straight season and fifth time in team history where they await the three-seed Trinity in a rematch of last year's NESCAC title game.
 
Wesleyan turned in a terrific 40-minute effort on the defensive side of the ball, holding Bates to a 10-for-33 showing in both the first and second halves of the contest. The Cardinals also committed just seven fouls in the entire game, limiting Bates to just four free throw attempts. Bates also struggled from the three-point line throughout, going 6-for-27 (22.2 percent) for the game.
 
The stingy defense was needed as the Cardinals struggled to put points on the board all throughout the first half. Bates scored seven unanswered points to start the contest and led for more than 14 minutes of the first half. Ben Lyttle '27 made the first Wesleyan basket more than three minutes into play and the Cardinal offense didn't have much momentum until the midway mark when a 6-0 run tied the score at 14-14.
 
Bates went up 21-17 with 7:27 left in the first half, only to see the Bobcats make just one shot, scoring two total points over the remainder of the half. Lyttle made a three and Sam Pohlman '26 hit a mid-range pull-up jumper to give Wesleyan their first lead of the contest at 24-23. Then over the remaining 4:43 of the first half, neither team scored a point, as the Cardinals held a one-point halftime advantage.
 
A crucial 8-0 Cardinal run to start the second half gave Wesleyan some much-needed separation. Oscar Edelman '28 finished a pair of great over-the-top passes under the rim from Pohlman while Pohlman took it himself on the fast break as Bates called timeout as Wesleyan led 32-23.
 
Bates broke their scoreless 8+ minute scoreless drought between the periods and later made it a five-point game at 34-29. Jaalan Watson '29 came off the bench and scored four quick points and then Watson hit Jackson Cormier '26 on a drive and kick and the senior wing swished a corner three to make it 41-30 for Wesleyan's first double-digit lead.
 
Fritz Hauser '26 netted a triple a few minutes later and then Hauser hit again from the win on a three-pointer. Cormier followed Hauser's second three with a dagger from long range as the 7-0 Wesleyan run stretched their lead to 50-34.
 
The Cardinals would go on to lead by as many as 20 points late on before closing out a 17-point home win to secure their spot in the title game.
 
Zach Wolinski '28 led all scorers with 17 points, going 3-for-7 from three and a perfect 6-for-6 from the line. Lyttle stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, a career-high 15 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks as the junior recorded his third straight double-double. Pohlman finished with 10 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and two steals. Cormier scored all eight of his points in the second half while Hauser had six points, six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
 
The Cardinals play host to the NESCAC Championship game on Sunday at Noon. Tickets (cash or credit) go on sale at 10:30 AM in Daniels Lobby overlooking Silloway Gym. Doors to the Gymnasium open at 11 AM.
 
The title game matchup pits the Cardinals against the Bantams for what will be the team's fifth clash in the past two seasons. Wesleyan defeated the Bantams, snapping Trinity's 32-game win streak in a 64-62 win in Middletown in the regular season.