CLINTON, N.Y. — Ben Callahan-Gold (New York, N.Y.) netted a career-high 34 points, but the Hamilton College Continentals took advantage of its home hardwood and downed the Trinity College men's basketball team, 80-75, on Friday. Trinity moved to 14-5 overall and 2-3 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, while Hamilton improved to 13-7 and 4-2. The Bantams continue their road trip at league foe Amherst College tomorrow with a 3 p.m. tip.

Off the defensive rebound by Callahan-Gold, Jarrel Okorougo (Stoneham, Mass.) pulled up for a jumper in the paint off the hands on Will Dorion (Needham, Mass.) to connect for the first bucket of the matchup 53 seconds into the opening half. Two minutes later, a layup in the paint by Patrick Mogan knotted the game 2-2 before a pair of made free throws by the home team put Hamilton up by two. Back-to-back jumpers by Callahan-Gold and a three-pointer by Dana Smith (Providence, R.I) setup by a defensive rebound by Smith and assist by Callahan-Gold shifted the lead back to the Bantams, 9-4. The teams went back and forth to connect for eight points each before a fastbreak three-pointer by Gilbert Otoo (Burtonsville, Md.) off the pass by Sean Macarchuk (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.) and a three from Callahan-Gold setup by Okorougo put Trinity up, 23-14, with eight and a half minutes into the half.

A three-point basket by Callahan-Gold off the fingertips of Trevor McDonald (Natick, Mass.) and a jumper by the center snatched the largest lead of the contest as Trinity padded the lead by 12. A layup in the paint with three minutes remaining by Liam Regan shortened the gap to 10, before fastbreak dunk by Smith off the seniors steal brought the lead margin back up to 12. Trinity maintained the lead until Connor Rodd went to the line and knotted the score at 44 apeice, followed by two good free throws by Rodd 30 seconds later to put Hamilton up, 46-44. Henry Vetter (Kenilworth, Ill.) forced a turnover for a steal as the first-year's fastbreak jumper in the paint evened it back at 46. A jumper by McDonald and a pair of free throws by Vetter put Trinity up, 50-48 with 11 minutes remaining in the second half. Two free throws by Eric Anderson put the home team up, 56-55, and the Bantams couldn't regain the lead in the remaining nine minutes.

Callahan-Gold also had four rebounds and an assist, while Okorougo had recorded eight points, four rebounds and an assist. Trinity converted for 14 points off turnovers, while Hamilton notched half the points. Smith tallied seven points, five rebounds, three steals and an assist. Off the bench, the Navy & Gold posted 24 points with a strong 17 in the second half and had 24 points in the paint. Vetter connected for 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals. Each team tied the game six times and the lead changed 14 times split between Hamilton and Trinity. The Bantams made 40.6% of their field goals and went 42.1% from three, while the Continentals went 36.1% and 30.0%. The deciding factor was the 93.1% free throw percentage for Hamilton, as opposed to the 57.7% from Trinity.