MIDDLETOWN, Conn. –  After an even opening 17 minutes of play, a 17-0 Williams run over a six-minute span between the first and second halves loomed large, as the No. 17 nationally ranked Ephs maintained a comfortable advantage for the remainder of a 80-62 victory over the Wesleyan men's basketball team on Saturday afternoon from Silloway Gymnasium. Wesleyan (14-8, 5-3 NESCAC) managed a weekend split at home against two ranked foes, while the Ephs (19-3, 6-3 NESCAC) win their third straight.
 
In a game that saw eight lead changes and three ties in the first 17+ minutes, a 10-0 run to end the first half gave Williams all the momentum heading into halftime. Preston Maccoux '23 had nearly half of the Cardinals' points in the first half, as the senior wing scored 14 of the team's 31 points in the opening 20 minutes. But it was Alex Lee's three-pointer with 2:09 left in the half that started the 10-0 run while Cole Prowitt-Smith bookended the scoring spree with a step back three-pointer to make it 40-31 Ephs at the half.  
 
Less than two minutes into the second half, Williams continued to build upon their lead, scoring the first seven points of the frame with a three from Declan Porter, Spencer Spivy runner and Nate Karren post move to make it 47-31, suddenly opening a 16-point lead after a very competitive opening 17+ minutes.
 
Wesleyan found some footing as Nicky Johnson '25 drove the lane and hit a pair of floaters, the second of which cutting the deficit down to 10 with 14:44 remaining. The teams traded baskets until Gabe Ravetz '23 hit a floater in transition that cut Williams' lead down to single digits for the first time since the opening minute of the second half.  
 
However, Williams had an answer as Prowitt-Smith responded on the next trip down the floor with a jumper before Karren hit a three just one minute later to rebuild a 13-point Williams lead.
 
The eight-point deficit was as close as Wesleyan would get in the second half, as the Cardinals were forced to foul with over three minutes left, trying to extend the game, but the Ephs hit their free throws to win it comfortably in the end.
 
A day removed from hitting a season-high 13 three-pointers in Friday's 89-85 win over No. 3 ranked Middlebury, Wesleyan went just 4-for-25 (16 percent) from behind the arc against Williams. The Ephs also made 15 free throws compared to just four for the Cardinals.
 
Maccoux finished with 18 points to lead Wesleyan on 7-for-13 shooting and 3-for-7 from three. Ravetz scored 11 while Johnson totaled 10 points with eight assists and six rebounds.
 
Karren poured in a game-high 20 points while adding seven rebounds, six assists, and two blocks. Prowitt-Smith scored 17 while Spivy added 16 and Evan Glatzer and Alex Lee each finished with 11, giving the Ephs five players with double-digit point totals.
 
Wesleyan heads into the final weekend of NESCAC regular season play with a Friday night matchup against Tufts at 7 PM.