Amherst, MASSACHUSETS- Colby Men's Basketball took on Amherst College Saturday, February 5th, after losing their last game to Hamilton College in Connecticut. The Mules had a poor overall performance against Hamilton, and looked to rebound against Amherst to win five of their last six games. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen for Colby, as they lost the matchup 74-60. 

The first half saw Amherst take a narrow lead of seven points, 40-33. Despite losing the half, the Mules shot the ball well, 45.8% from the field and 38.5% from three.  It was in other phases of the game that the team struggled, being out rebounded 22-17, out assisted 7-4, and giving up more turnovers 8-4. Even still, Colby's ability to knock down shots at a high level kept them in the game through halftime. 

In the second half, the Mules lost what was allowing them to survive. The three ball completely disappeared from the team's arsenal, shooting 1-14 in the half and putting the nail in the coffin on any potential comeback. The deficit doubled, going from seven to 14, resulting in a second straight loss. The team still rebounded the ball well, bringing in 20 boards, and played strong defense with three blocks and two steals.

Jack Lawson did his best to keep the team afloat, posting one of the best games of his season. Lawson finished with 20 points on 13 shots, five rebounds, and a steal. Matt Hanna also had a solid game, collecting a double double. However, it wasn't in the way you'd expect from Hanna (assists and points), but rather with 10 points and 11 rebounds, demonstrating a spectacular willingness to hustle as an undersized rebounder. Finally, Cooper Wirkala had a solid overall effort, scoring seven points, collecting four rebounds, and blocking two shots. 

Colby Men's Basketball will look to bounce back from two straight losses with a win against Tufts University when they host the Jumbos on Tuesday, Feburary 8th, at 7:00 PM.