Box Score AMHERST, Mass. – The Vermont State University Castleton men's basketball team got back in the win column on Saturday afternoon, claiming an 81-72 victory over Thomas College in the consolation game of the Ken Wright Invitational at Amherst College.
 
In a matchup of former North Atlantic Conference foes, the Spartans (2-2) shot 49.1 percent from the floor and 43.5 percent from three-point range. Castleton also hit 15 free throws in the win. Thomas (2-3) went 33.8 percent from the floor and only 23.3 percent from three with an addition 19 points at the charity stripe. Rebounds were nearly even—favoring VTSU Castleton 42-40.
 
Joe Russell led all scorers with 30 points in the win in addition to eight rebounds and five assists. Justin Schwarzbeck logged a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Scott Lampron chipped in 13 points and Adam Bilodeau rounded out Castleton's double-digit scorers with 10 points of his own.
 
Thomas was led by 19 points from Cooper Wirkala, 16 points from Parker Desjardins and 11 points from Shareef Jones. Jackson Ruelke had 11 rebounds to lead the Terriers.
 
Both teams traded threes early in the game, with Schwarzbeck knocking down back-to-back treys to start the game for Castleton. Thomas answered with threes from Wirkala and Desjardins to level the score at 6-6. Castleton led 16-10 after Bilodeau drained a three of his own, but Wirkala answered again to make it 16-13 on the next Terrier possession. Thomas whittled away at the lead over the next four minutes, overtaking Castleton 21-20 after another Wirkala triple. The game remained close with the lead changing hands multiple times before Castleton opened up a then-game-high eight-point lead, 38-30, on the heels of a 9-0 run late in the half. The lead sat at six points at halftime, 40-34.
 
The Terriers scored the first seven points of the second half to regain a 41-40 lead, but a layup by Russell put Castleton ahead 42-41 and Castleton never trailed again. Russell's layup sparked a 10-2 Spartan run to give the team a 51-43 lead, and the Spartans' lead remained close to double figures for much of the remainder of the contest, growing to as many as 13 points on multiple occasions. Schwarzbeck and Russell closed out the game going a combined 4-for-4 at the free throw line to keep Thomas from coming back in the final minute.
 
The Spartans host Anna Maria on Monday night at 5 p.m. at Glenbrook Gym in their final game before a week-long Thanksgiving break.