MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Connecticut College men's basketball team suffered its first NESCAC setback on Sunday afternoon, falling by a 69-64 final to Wesleyan University at Silloway Gymnasium.

In an otherwise evenly matched game, the Cardinals (10-5, 3-0 NESCAC) used a 13-4 run at the end of the first half to build a lead that they nursed to the finish. Gabe Ravetz shot 6-for-10 from deep to lead all scorers with 23 points, one of three Wesleyan players in double figures. 

David Murray (Jackson Heights, N.Y.) paced Conn with 15 points on 7-for-12 shooting and added eight rebounds and three blocks. Elias Espinosa (Ridgefield Park, N.J.) and Andrew Hartel (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) contributed 10 points apiece while Cam Schainfeld (Newton, Mass.) and Billy Whelan (Hamilton, Mass.) each chipped in nine. 

The Camels trailed by seven after only four minutes of play, but responded with an 11-3 spurt that included a go-ahead three from Whelan. Later, after the Cardinals built up another seven-point advantage, Conn came roaring back with eight straight points that featured back-to-back triples from Ben Rice (Hanson, Mass.) and Whelan.

A layup by Jarron Flynn (Roslindale, Mass.) put Conn in front at 26-25 with 5:36 left in the half. However, Ravetz caught fire in the final minutes of the stanza, sparking the late run with three treys in a two-minute stretch. The Cardinals padded the lead to 10 before a layup by Espinosa cut the deficit to 38-30 at the break.

Wesleyan held a comfortable lead throughout most of the second half, although Conn made things interesting with a late push. The Camels closed the game with an 11-3 run in the final 42 seconds, with six points coming from Schainfeld. 

Conn College (12-5 overall, 3-1 NESCAC) will next host Albertus Magnus College on Thursday, January 19 at 7:00 p.m.