Hamilton College's Andrew Groll '19 poured in a career-high 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and the Continentals posted an 88-80 non-conference win against the Ithaca College Bombers at Hamilton's Margaret Bundy Scott Field House on Tuesday night.
Box Score
The Continentals (8-8 overall) snapped a five-game losing skid and defeated Ithaca for the 23rd time in the last 24 meetings between the programs. The Bombers (9-6) have dropped four of their last six games.
Groll recorded his third straight double-double and his fourth this season. He made 11 of 12 shots from the floor and went 6-for-8 at the free-throw line. His 28 points are the most by a Hamilton player since Matt Hart scored 29 at Connecticut College on Feb. 15, 2014. Groll is sixth in the NESCAC with 7.6 rebounds per game.
Peter Hoffmann '19 contributed a season-high 20 points for the Continentals. Michael Grassey '19 chipped in 13 points in 21 minutes off the bench as he was 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Jack Dwyer '18 finished with 11 points and seven assists, and Wes Wilbur '17 dropped in a season-best 11 points. Dwyer is second in the conference with 5.3 assists per game.
Joey Flanagan made four 3-pointers in the second half and paced Ithaca with 19 points and three steals. Marc Chasin scored 18 points, Peter Ezema ended up with 17 and nine boards, and Carroll Rich registered 13 points.
The Bombers went up 60-59 on a Chasin 3-pointer with 11:04 left in the second half for their first lead since the first minute of the first half. Another Chasin basket from long range gave Ithaca its largest lead of the night of three points at 63-60 one minute later.
Hamilton regained the lead on consecutive buckets by Hoffmann and Ajani Santos '16 but two free throws by Rich put the Bombers back in front, 65-64. A Grassey 3-pointer made it 67-65 in favor of the Continentals before Ezema forged the final tie on a layup with 7:22 remaining.
Hamilton followed with a 12-2 run during the next three minutes that put them ahead for good. Hoffmann kicked off the spurt with four straight points and Grassey drained a 3-pointer. After a pair of free throws by Ithaca's Sam Bevan, Hoffmann nailed a shot from beyond the arc and Wilbur capped the run on a layup that made it 79-69 with 4:17 to go. The Continentals' lead fluctuated between five and 12 points the rest of the way.
Hamilton led for virtually the entire first half as the Continentals shot a blistering 65.5 percent from the floor during the opening 20 minutes. Hamilton held a 30-26 lead with 7:04 left when the Continentals went on an 11-2 run during the next three minutes and opened up their largest lead of the night of 13 points at 41-28. Hamilton matched that 13-point advantage twice more in the first half and went into the break with a 48-38 cushion.
The Continentals set a season high with their 88-point outburst, and held a 40-27 advantage on the boards. Hamilton enjoyed a 44-32 edge in points in the paint.
The Continentals travel to Williams College for a NESCAC game on Friday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m.
