Wesleyan’s men’s basketball defeated two powerhouse Williams and Middlebury teams with emphatic come-from-behind victories in recent conference games.
Following a disappointing 12-point loss to Williams in their first contest, the Cards bounced back with authority on January 14 with a stunning comeback from 19 points down, defeating the Ephs with a last-second field goal by Rob Kelly ’06.
“The win against Williams was a huge confidence builder,” said guard Doug Rubenstein ’07. “They were ranked 19th at the time and we came back from a deficit to win. When you beat a team like that, it’s always a confidence boost.”
With just over 12 minutes remaining, the Cards found themselves in a 38-57 hole, and it appeared that Williams was en route to a blowout victory over the Cards. Wesleyan chipped away at the lead, though, with solid performances by point guard Jarred Ashe ’07, who scored 15 points, and Kelly, who led the team with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
With eight seconds remaining, Kelly rebounded a jumper from Ashe for the winning shot. In their defeat of Williams, the Cards played perhaps their best half of basketball all season, and it came at the right time against an opponent who has had the Cardinals’ number the past few years.
“The victory over Williams was a statement for us for the whole season,” Ashe said. “It just goes to show that the whole conference is wide open right now. Even though we’ve had some tough recent results, we can play with anyone in the country.”
The following day the Cardinals appeared to be drained while playing NESCAC foe Middlebury, as they fell behind by 12 points in the first half. However, the squad once again dug themselves out of a double-digit deficit, led by captain Tim Holland ’04. Holland, who took a back seat in the scoring category against Williams, bounced back with authority as he nearly matched Middlebury’s entire second half production with his 28 second half points. Holland finished with a career-high 35 points and propelled the Cards to a 79-74 win, their second straight NESCAC victory.
“That was the best offensive performance I’ve seen from Tim in my two years here,” Rubenstein said. “We all knew Tim was easily capable of an explosion like that, and unfortunately for Middlebury it happened against them.”
Holland’s career game overshadowed Ashe’s outstanding play, who posted 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists in the contest. Ashe has quickly emerged as a potent scoring threat in conference play as of late, scoring well into double digits in the last four conference games.
“I’ve been a lot more confident lately,” Ashe said. “The presence of Tim and Rob [has] helped out a lot, as it has allowed me to get in rhythm and pick my own spots to score. I’ve been able to drive down the lane and get some good looks at the basket.”
One key to the team’s solid 11-7 record this year has been the outstanding play on the defensive end of the floor. The squad has transformed from a team that had relied on its offensive firepower to bail them out of games to a team that now prides itself in defensive intensity.
“This year, our defense and rebounding have been much better,” Ashe said. “Last year we weren’t working hard defensively every possession, but this year we’re holding our opponents to under 65 points per game. We have the capabilities to stop any team’s offense, and our defensive intensity helps out our offense also.”
Despite recent defeats at the hands of former NCAA Champion Amherst and Trinity, the Cards look to bounce back this Friday and Saturday as they take on Tufts at 7 p.m. on Friday, and Bates at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
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