Middletown, Conn. - In their regular-season finale, the Colby Men's Basketball team went toe-to-toe with nationally ranked Wesleyan University, holding a halftime lead before the Cardinals surged late to take an 81–69 decision in Middletown Saturday afternoon.

The Mules delivered a strong opening half shooting 44 percent from the field and knocking down five threes to carry a 38–34 advantage into the locker room. Colby controlled the pace early and matched Wesleyan punch for punch through 30 minutes, with eight lead changes and 11 ties highlighting a back-and-forth matchup.

Dan Civello powered the offense once again with 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting and a team-high eight rebounds, while Max Poulton added another well-rounded performance with 17 points, eight boards, and six assists. Sam Hinman also delivered a double-digit scoreline finishing with 11 points and six rebounds, and Mason Dobie provided a spark off the bench with seven points in 12 minutes.

Wesleyan's second-half push ultimately proved to be the difference in the final 10 minutes of play. The Cardinals connected on 50 percent of their attempts after the break and used a timely shooting stretch to create separation. 

Despite the result, the Mules closed their regular-season slate showing their ability to compete with one of the top teams in Division III, setting the stage for the NESCAC postseason ahead. Colby is now 16-8 overall with a 4-6 conference record, good for seventh place. Stay tuned for more information on the NESCAC Championship Tournament.