Hartford, Conn. – Senior co-captain Kyle Padmore (Milton, Mass.) and junior Colin Donovan (Westborough, Mass.) scored 20 points apiece to lead the Trinity College Bantams to an 82-76 win over the visiting Middlebury College Panthers in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) men's basketball action this evening at Oosting Gymnasium. Trinity improves to 13-6 overall and 3-2 in the NESCAC, while snapping a four-game losing skid against the No. 10-ranked Panthers. Middlebury drops to 17-3 overall and 3-3 in the conference. The Bantams host NESCAC rival Williams tomorrow at 3 p.m. and the Panthers visit league foe Connecticut College tomorrow at the same time.
Trinity got off to a fast start and led, 14-6, 4:19 into the game after the second of two Donovan treys during the run. The Bantams led, 22-13, after a jumper by senior guard Joe Bell (Manchester, N.H.) at the 11:36 mark, but Middlebury battled back and tied the game at the half, 37-37, on a drive by junior guard Jack Farrell (Verona, N.J.). Padmore led all scorers at the break with 13 points, while Farrell paced Middlebury with 10.
The Bantams jumped out ahead early in the second half as well, taking a 55-48 lead with 11:33 remaining on a free throw by senior co-captain Nick Seretta (Greenfield, Mass.). The Panthers went on an 11-2 run, including six points by junior Tom Eastman (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.), to turn a 59-53 deficit into a 64-61 lead with 7:30 on the clock.
Trinity answered with an 8-0 run moments later, and led, 74-69, on a put-back by junior forward Donald Jorden (Tampa, Fla.) with just under three minutes left to play. Donovan and Padmore scored on consecutive drives down the middle in the final two minutes, and the Bantam defense held Middlebury to six contested missed shot attempts, including two blocks by Padmore, down the stretch.
Donovan scored 12 of his 20 points on three-pointers (4-7) and added seven rebounds and seven assists, while Padmore was 9-for-18 from the floor with four blocked shots. Seretta scored 25 points, while Jorden contributed 12 points, a game-high 15 boards, and five assists out of the post. Trinity dominated the glass with a 47-to-36 rebounding advantage.
Eastman paced Middlebury with a game-high 22 points, making nine of 14 attempts from the floor, and added 12 rebounds. Panther junior guard Max Bosco (Scarsdale, N.Y.) had 17 points and Farrell scored 14 points with four assists. Middlebury senior center Matt Folger (Weston, Conn.) came off the bench to grab nine boards. The Panthers made just five three-pointers in 26 tries (19.2%) but 15 of their 18 free throws (83.3%).