#14 Wesleyan - 86, Farmingdale State - 71
Middletown, Conn. - The Farmingdale State men's basketball team traveled to #14 ranked Wesleyan University on Wednesday evening for a non-conference game and fell, 86-71. The Rams drop to 10-6 overall, while the Cardinals improved to 14-4.
Tied 21-21 with 11:31 left in the first, Wesleyan used a 9-2 run to open up a seven-point advantage, 30-23. After each team scored on their next possession, a George Riefenstahl (Bayport, N.Y.) layup cut the Rams deficit to five with 5:52 remaining in the half.
The Cardinals would counter with another 9-2 run, including a pair of 3-pointers by freshman guard Antone Walker (Philadelphia, Penn.) and junior guard Jordan Bonner (Houston, Texas), to take a 41-29 lead.
Farmingdale State outscored Wesleyan 7-3 over the final 1:40 of the first half as they went into the break trailing 44-36.
Down 49-39 early in the second, Rams junior guard Ali Mableton (Brentwood, N.Y.) hit a jumper and followed with a pair at the free-throw line to close within six points, 49-43.
Wesleyan would answer with a 19-5 run, including five 3's, to go ahead by 20 points, 68-48.
After FSC junior guard Matthew Graham (Valley Stream, N.Y.) hit a layup, a 12-4 run over the next 2:50 allowed the Cardinals to open up their largest lead of the game, 80-54, with 7:06 left to play.
Farmingdale State would outscore Wesleyan 17-6 the rest of the way but it was not enough as the Cardinals held on for the home non-conference victory, 86-71.
The Rams were led by Mableton's team-high 20 points and six rebounds. Senior guard Liam Monaghan (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.) tallied 16 points, including 4-for-7 from behind the arc, and Riefenstahl added 12 points and a game-high three blocks.
Bonner shot 10-for-15 from the floor as he produced a game-high 27 points, while senior forward Nathan Krill (Saint Helena, Calif.) recorded 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds in the win.
FSC next hosts Skyline Conference opponent Old Westbury on Saturday, January 27th at noon.
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