Men’s Basketball Earns Back-to-Back NESCAC Title

Annika Dyczkowski ’25

Executive Sports Editor

Trinity men’s basketball went back-to-back in NESCAC titles. Last weekend Saturday, Feb. 22, the Bantams battled at home in Ray Oosting Gymnasium, hosting the Colby College Mules for the NESCAC Men’s Basketball Championship Quarterfinal. The Bantams steamrolled the Mules, leading at the end of both halves to register a 77-56 win in the first round of the tournament. 

This past Saturday, March 1, the Bantams traveled to Middletown, Conn. to finish the NESCAC tournament on top. In the semifinal game, the Bantams toppled the Tufts University Jumbos 74-51 to swiftly move forward in the tournament. The team’s final competition for the conference title was no easy feat, but the Bantams tenaciously fought off all adversity to take home the crown.

On Sunday, March 2 at 12 p.m., Trinity faced the Wesleyan University Cardinals. As tournament hosts, Wesleyan was the top seed in the tournament and ranked #1 nationally. The Cardinals headed into the tournament undefeated at 25-0, “one of the most-incredible seasons put together in school history.” Historically, the Bantams had an 11-11 record against the Cardinals prior to the tournament. At their previous matchup on Jan. 25 of this year, Wesleyan downed Trinity 72-63 at home in Hartford. Although they boasted an impressive record heading into the tournament and hosted the championship game, the Bantams defeated all odds and came out victorious against the Cardinals. 

At the end of the first half, the Cardinals were up 36-35. The Bantams came back stronger, accumulating nine more points than the Cardinals in the second half to win the conference championship. While the entirety of the game was a high intensity, back-and-forth battle, the last few minutes hinted strongly at a Bantam victory. In the last thirteen minutes of regulation, Drew Lazarre ’26 sank four from the three-point, his fourth being made with 37 seconds left to put the Bantams up 70-67. Shortly after, Lazarre was fouled and made both free throw shots, elevating the Bantams to a 72-67 lead with 23 seconds left in the second half. With 13 seconds left, Jarrel Okorougo ’26 was fouled and also made both free throw shots, posting a score of 74-67. Once the seven point deficit was made official with Okorougo’s free throw, the red sea of Wesleyan’s student section became silent, while the visiting Bantam fans on the opposite bleachers were roaring with enthusiastic cheers. Lazarre posted another free throw with six seconds remaining, showcasing a final score of 75-67 in Trinity’s favor on Wesleyan’s home court in Silloway Gymnasium. 

Henry Vetter ’26 led the team in points, tallying 16 for the Bantams. Vetter was closely followed by Lazarre’s 15 points and Will Dorion’s ’24, M.A. ’25 nine points. With this victory, the Bantams earned an auto bid to the NCAA Tournament and will compete in the first round on Friday, March 7.