BARRE, Vt. – The Castleton University men's basketball team had its two-game winning streak snapped at the Barre Auditorium Saturday night, falling to in-state rival Norwich at the Barre Granite Association College Classic.
 
The Spartans worked hard to erase a large halftime deficit, but the mid-game gap was too much to overcome as the Spartans fell 65-54. Castleton outscored Johnson 35-24 in the second stanza and finished the night shooting 36.8 percent as a team from the floor. The Spartans struggled from three, hitting just 4-of-23 while also hitting only 8-of-18 free throws. Norwich converted 44.6 percent of its field goals and 5-of-17 from three.
 
Joe Russell scored a game-high 26 points and seven rebounds, but was the only Spartan in double figures as Alex Blackmore's eight points were the next-most on the team. Tray Wright, Carter Mackey and Blackmore had five rebounds apiece.
 
Norwich was led by 16 points from Owen Liss and 14 from Jalen Olivero, with Olivero adding 10 rebounds for a double-double. Liss had eight boards.
 
The game was tight in the early going, with Castleton leading 10-9 after a Justin Schwarzbeck layup and a three by Jordan Hunt. Norwich ran away with it from there, going on a 20-0 run over the next seven minutes. Castleton scored the final five points of the half to inch closer before the break, but went to the locker room trailing 41-19.
 
The second half was a reversal of the first, with the Spartans going on a 16-0 run over a four-minute period to make it 43-35. Norwich bounced back with an 8-0 run of its own to extend the gap back to 51-35. A few minutes later, Castleton went on another nine-point stretch to draw within nine, 58-49. A three by Russell pulled Castleton within eight with 3:30 to play but that was as close as Castleton could manage as Norwich closed the game out on top 65-54.
 
Castleton is back in action Tuesday night when it hosts Lesley at 7 p.m. at Glenbrook Gym.