Brewers Begin New Year With Win Over Camels

NEW LONDON, CT – The Vassar men’s basketball team opened the new year with a defensive 60-39 victory over Connecticut College on Saturday afternoon. The Brewers held the Camels to 3-of-19 three-point shooting (15.8 percent) and did not allow a single free throw attempt. Connecticut’s 39 points mark the fewest by an opponent since Vassar defeated Sage College 55-38 in 2003.

With the win, Vassar moves to 4-6 overall, while Connecticut falls to 3-7. Junior Zach Bromfeld and first-year Kevin McAuliffe led the Vassar offense with 14 points each. In total, ten different Brewers scored.

The Camels scored first, but that proved to be their last and only lead. McAuliffe responded with a three to spur a 7-0 run that included made baskets from junior Lance Tebay and freshman Avni Mustafaj. Connecticut’s Jeff Allen cut the lead to 7-4 soon after, but then the Brewers rattled off a 14-2 run until 9:09. During that span, sophomore Neville Lee tallied five points, including a triple. Bromfeld followed with two baskets to push the lead to 21-6.

Vassar continued to roll in the first half, leading by as much as 18 when Joey Sacco connected for the jumper. The Camels answered with a three, but the score stood 34-19 at the break.

The Camels’ offense opened up in the second half, cutting the lead to 39-29 at 11:05. Sacco picked up McAuliffe for another trey at 10:40, and the Brewers kept building their lead. Vassar’s defense only allowed eight points in the final eight minutes and led by as much as 23 points and their way to the win.

Bromfeld shot 5-of-11 and grabbed four rebounds and made two assists. McAuliffe’s 14 points is a career-best, and he shot 5-of-10 while shooting 4-of-9 from three-point range.

Tebay netted eight points with five rebounds, two blocks, two assists, and a steal. Freshman Zach Johnson led the team with seven boards and two steals.

The Brewers return home next for Liberty League action against St. Lawrence on Fri., Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m.