The Hamilton College men's basketball team ended its season with an 81-77 loss at Middlebury in the quarterfinal round of the NESCAC Championship Tournament. The Continentals (14-11) fought back from a 22-point second-half deficit to pull to within three points with 20 seconds left; they missed a pair of three-point attempts in the final 10 seconds.

The third-seeded Panthers (17-8) opened the second half with a 15-6 run that gave them a 61-39 lead with 14:42 to go. Hamilton scored 12 straight points – including back-to-back layups by Ajani Santos '17 – over the next three minutes to cut the lead to 10.

Middlebury maintained its double-digit advantage until the 4:53 mark when the Continentals went on 12-4 run to pull to within 75-71 with 44 seconds remaining. Greg Newton '14 scored four of Hamilton's points and Matt Hart '16 capped the burst with a three-point basket and a lay-up on consecutive possessions.

A Jack Roberts '14 three-point play put the Panthers up 78-71 with 32 seconds to go. After Joseph Lin '15 scored to pull Hamilton to 78-73, the Continentals forced a turnover and Hart made a pair of free throws to make a one-possession game. Middlebury's Joey Kizel '14 made three of four free throws in the last 16 seconds to seal the win. Two three-point tries by Hamilton were off the mark before Lin hit a lay-up at the buzzer.

Santos made nine of his 14 shots to lead all scorers with a career-best 18 points. Hart and Newton scored 11 points apiece and Jack Donnelly '16 finished with 10 points (one short of his career high).

Hunter Merryman '15 led Middlebury with 17 points. Kizel added 14 points and topped the Panthers with six assists and six rebounds. Middlebury owned a 36-26 rebounding advantage.

Newton's six assists led Hamilton. Bradley Gifford finished with eight points and a team-best five rebounds.

The Panthers will face either second-seeded Williams or seventh-seeded Tufts in next weekend's semifinal round.