HARTFORD, Conn. - Nicky Johnson had 17 points and eight assists to lead the visiting Wesleyan University Cardinals to a 75-70 win over the Trinity College Bantams in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) men's basketball action this afternoon on Ogrodnik Court in Oosting Gymnasium.  Trinity falls to 14-4 overall and 2-2 in the NESCAC with its third loss in a row, while the Cardinals improve to 12-5 overall and 4-0 in the conference with their 10th victory in a row.  Bantam junior captain Ben Callahan-Gold (New York, N.Y.) and first-year Henry Vetter (Kenilworth, Ill.) scored 12 points apiece.  Trinity will visit NESCAC rivals Hamilton and Amherst next weekend.

Trinity fell behind, 8-1, early but battled back and tied the score at 31-31 on a three-pointer by senior captain Dana Smith (Providence, R.I.) with 3;08 left in the first half.  Vetter made a pair of free throws to give Trinity its first lead at 33-32 inside the final minute but Frtiz Hauser made a three-pointer with 21 second on the clock to put the Cardinals ahead, 35-33, at halftime.  Smith scored all 10 of his points in the first half to pace the Bantams.

Wesleyan scored five quick points to start the second stanza.  Trinity hung tough and trailed, 57-56, at the 8:27 mark after back-to-back buckets by first-year forward Jarrel Okorougo (Stoneham, Mass.) anbd Callahan-Gold.  Wesleyan's Preston Maccoux scored the next four points on free throws in response, but Vetter made a layup to make it 67-65, in the visitors' favor with 4:22 remaining.  Shackylle Dezonie made consecutive jumpers for the Cardinals, followed by a long trey and two foul shots by Callahan-Gold trey and Trinity trailed, 71-70, with 1:10 left.  Wesleyan went 4-for-4 from the line in the final minute and Trinity turned the ball over and misfired on a pair of long three-pointers in its final three possessions.

Callahan-Gold added nine rebounds and three blocks to his 12 points, while Smith added seven rebounds and three steals.  Vetter dished six assists and Okorougo notched five points, six rebounds, and a pair of steals.  Maccoux and Dezonie finished with 16 points apiece with Maccoux scoring 11 of his points from the foul line on 13 tries.  Trinity was outrebounded 44-35, but held Wesleyan to 38.5 percent field goal shooting.  The Cardinals made 16 of 20 shots from the foul line and the Bantams made seven in 12 attempts from the charity stripe.