Hartford, Conn. – Senior guard DaQuan Brooks (Atlanta, Ga.) scored a game-high 35 points, sinking 11 out of 19 shots from the field, 6-for-10 from three-point range, and 7-for-9 from the foul line, to lead the visiting Western Connecticut State University Colonials to a 74-68 victory over the Trinity College Bantams in men's basketball action this evening on Stan Ogrodnik Court at Oosting Gym. Trinity, playing in its home opener, falls to 4-2 with its first loss in three games, while the Colonials improve to 5-1 with their third win in a row and their fifth straight over the Bantams.

Leading, 31-27, at the break, used an 8-0 run to jump ahead, 42-31, less than four minutes into the second half. Trinity pulled to within five points at 58-53 with under five minutes remaining after two free throws by freshman center George Papadeas (Athens, Greece) and a drive by sophomore swingman Eric Dean (Gilford, N.H.). Brooks hit a long three-pointer from the left wing to give the Colonials a 65-57 lead a couple minutes later, and Western Connecticut led by at least six points the rest of the way.

Papadeas came off the bench to lead Trinity in scoring with 19 points, making seven out of nine shots from the field, and grabbed seven rebounds, while Dean finished with 11 points and six boards, and freshman guard Varun Ram (Clarkville, Md.) had 10 points. Junior forward Adam Skaggs (Framingham, Mass.) pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, and Trent dished out five assists for the Bantams. Brooks had 15 points in the first half and 20 in the second half, while adding four rebounds and five assists. Fellow senior Gary Robinson (Torrington, Conn.) added 14 points, sinking three from long range, and five boards, while rookie forward Luis Bridtter (Stamford, Conn.) grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Western Connecticut shot 51 percent from the field (25-49) and 47.6 percent from three-point land (10-21). Trinity forced 15 turnovers but shot just 38.3 percent from the floor (26-7) and missed 17 out of 22 shots from beyond the arc.