LYNDONVILLE, Vt. – The Colby-Sawyer College men's basketball team opened its 2026-27 campaign on Friday evening, falling 91-81 to Vermont State University Lyndon in a fast-paced non-conference matchup at George W. Stannard Gymnasium.
Rapid Recap:
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Colby-Sawyer came out firing to start the contest, using early buckets from sophomore Tobey Bellows, graduate student Mike Hills, and senior Sean Peterson to construct an early 14-3 lead just four and a half minutes in.
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The Hornets countered behind hot perimeter shooting from Javen Reid and Owen Traynor, stringing together a 27-11 surge to take a 30-25 lead late in the first half. VTSU Lyndon closed the opening period on an 11-4 push to carry a 41-33 edge into the break.
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The Chargers battled back early in the second half. Hills knocked down a triple and converted multiple trips to the free-throw line, while junior Will Ehlen provided an offensive spark off the bench with consecutive layups to trim the deficit to 56-54 with 12:56 remaining.
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Despite 18 second-half points from the charity stripe and late baskets from Ehlen, Hills, and first-year Jack Thibodeau, the Hornets continued their hot shooting from the field to close out the 91-81 final.
Inside the Numbers:
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Hills paced the Chargers with a team-high 22 points, seven rebounds, and a pair of steals while converting 6-of-7 attempts from the free-throw line.
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Ehlen provided a massive lift off the bench, tallying 18 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the floor and an 8-for-10 performance at the stripe.
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Bellows finished with 17 points, two assists, and a steal, going 10-of-12 from the charity stripe.
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Thibodeau reached double figures with 11 points in 14 minutes, shooting 3-of-4 from the field and 4-of-4 on free throws, while junior Logan Lapierre Caissie matched Hills for the team high with seven rebounds to go along with six points and two assists.
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Colby-Sawyer excelled at the free-throw line, shooting 84.8% (28-of-33) as a team.
Up Next:
Colby-Sawyer returns to action tomorrow in the consolation game of the VTSU Tip-Off Classic at 1PM right back in Lyndonville, VT.
