WILLIMANTIC, Conn. (Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004) -- Sophomore guard Doug Rubenstein swished a three-point from the left of the circle with 15.7 seconds left to give Wesleyan University a 63-60 non-conference victory over the Eastern Connecticut State University men's basketball team Wednesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.
Trailing by four, Eastern (3-3) tied the game at 60 on baskets by junior guard Michael Stallings (WATERBURY) with two minutes left and by senior forward Jeroy Smith (NEW HAVEN) with 1:30 remaining. After Wesleyan (2-3) missed two shots and Eastern turned the ball over with 45.7 seconds left, the Cardinals went the length of the floor and off a set play, Rubenstein took a pass from sophomore guard Jared Ashe and swished a 20-footer for the winning bucket.
Junior center Robert Kelly, whose inside bucket had given Wesleyan a four-point lead, 60-56 with three minutes left, converted ten of 12 shots from the floor and led all players with 21 points and ten rebounds. Senior guard Tim Holland added 15 points for Wesleyan, which has beaten Eastern the last four times the teams have met.
Smith led Eastern with 17 points and nine rebounds, Stallings adding 16 points and four assists in making his first start at Eastern in place of injured sophomore guard Matt Albon (MIDDLEBURY). Albon missed his first start with a twisted ankle.
Eastern opens Little East Conference play Saturday at the University of Southern Maine at 3 p.m.
Wesleyan U. 63, Eastern Conn. 60
WESLEYAN U. (2-3): Will Griffin 2-3 0-1 4; Jared Ashe 3-11 0-1 6; Doug Rubenstein 2-4 0-0 6; Tim Holland 5-14 5-6 15; Robert Kelly 10-12 1-1 21; Mike Raymond 0-2 0-0 0; Nick Pelletier 2-6 0-1 4; Josh Hartz 0-0 0-0 0; Jimmy Shepherd 0-1 0-0 0; Blake Curry 3-6 0-0 7; TOTAL: 27-59 6-9 63.
EASTERN CONN. (3-3): Shiwon Davis 1-3 0-0 2; Antowoine Key 1-4 1-2 3; Mike Bartunek 3-7 0-0 9; Michael Stallings 6-13 3-6 16; Jeroy Smith 8-15 1-1 17; Geoffrey Richardson 2-5 0-0 6; Tim Callahan 2-5 3-4 7; Saliym Wilson 0-2 0-0 0. TOTAL: 23-54 8-13 60.
Score at halftime: W, 32-28.
Three-point goals: W 3-10 (Rubenstein 2-4, Blake Curry 1-2, Holland 0-2, Griffin 0-1, Raymond 0-1); E 6-19 (Bartunek 3-6, Richardson 2-4, Stallings 1-3, Davis 0-2, Callahan 0-2, Key 0-1, Wilson 0-1); Rebounds: W 31 (Kelly 10, Holland 5); E 35 (Smith 9, Stallings 5, Callahan 5); Assists: W 8 (Ashe 3), E 9 (Stallings 4).