MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - Visiting Curry overcame a 45-32 second-half deficit to claim an 80-76 road victory over Wesleyan in men's basketball action . It was just the third meeting of the teams and the first time the home team did not prevail as each squad had a win on its own court previously. Ahead for Curry is a home game vs. Eastern Nazarene Sat., Jan. 4. Wesleyan is back in action at Springfield College in the opening round of the Naismith Classic Fri., Jan. 3, facing Bridgewater St.

Both teams had substantial runs in the first half as Wesleyan opened the game with a 9-2 burst before a 10-0 run by the Colonels help Curry claim a 17-14 lead. Wesleyan generated a 14-0 run to turn a 27-23 deficit into a 37-27 lead before holding a 38-29 edge at intermission.

A 7-3 run to begin the second period spotted Wesleyan a 45-32 edge. Curry closed to within four at 45-41 but Wesleyan kept the lead until a free throw by freshman Rodney Beldo, who collected a game-high 25 points while going 15-for-20 at the line, tied the game at 63-63 with 4:08 left. Wesleyan got its last lead, 66-63, on a trey by sophomore Joe Edmonds, but Curry responded with a three-pointer by senior Carlos Ribeiro (15 points) to knot the score at 66-66 with 3:26 on the clock. That started a decisive 10-0 burst for the Colonels for a 73-66 lead with 1:09 to go. A tip-in by junior Matthew Russell gave Curry the lead for good, 68-66, followed by a trey from Ribeiro and a pair at the line by Beldo, who went 6-for-6 at the stripe down the stretch.

As a team, Curry went 9-for-10 at the line in the final 1:09. Senior Lambros Papalambros chipped in with 22 points for the winners while Russell had eight points and eight rebounds.

Wesleyan got the seventh double-double of the season in nine games from sophomore Rashid Epps as he had 13 points and a game-best 15 rebounds. While Wesleyan enjoyed a 48-34 edge on the glass, Curry committed just five turnovers in the game, none in the second half, while Wesleyan had 15 miscues in the contest. Wesleyan got a team-high 20 points from freshman Harry Rafferty. Edmonds added 15 points. (Recap courtesy of Wesleyan Sports Information)