CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton men's basketball team was outlasted by Eastern Connecticut on Saturday afternoon, falling 70-62 in Little East Conference action at Glenbrook Gym.
 
The Spartans (6-17, 2-12 LEC) led for a majority of the contest, but a strong second-half push by the Warriors (5-18, 2-12 LEC) was enough for the visitors to come out on top. The Spartans shot 49.0 percent as a team with eight threes, but 11 threes and nine free throws by Eastern provided the difference in the game.
 
Four players reached double figures for Castleton, highlighted by Joe Russell's 16 points. Leonard Brice scored 15 points off the bench and Scott Lampron and Will Radcliff had 10 points each. Radcliff, Lampron and Justin Schwarzbeck had six rebounds apiece.
 
For Eastern, Dominick Dao led all scorers with 22 points followed by Ty Calloway with 10. Sheriff Bilewu had 10 rebounds and Michael Carothers added five assists.
 
Both sides came out firing with each squad hitting a three on their first possession. Castleton used an early 10-0 run to go ahead 13-5, and tacked on nine more just a few minutes later for a 22-7 lead with less than six minutes remaining in the first half. The Warriors closed the half on a 17-6 run, but the Spartans maintained a 28-24 edge at the break.
 
The Warriors tied the game early in the second half, but Castleton still controlled the pace after a five-point spurt made it a 42-36 lead. Eastern bounced back with four points to make it a two-point contest, but Brice knocked down a jumper to make it 44-40 in favor of the Spartans. That was the last lead of the game for the Spartans, as the Warriors posted eight unanswered points to take a 48-44 lead. Castleton tied the game four more times, but the Warriors answered each time. Radcliff scored tying baskets twice and Adam Bilodeau drilled a game-tying three with five minutes left, but Eastern maintained an edge with a 6-0 run after Bilodeau's triple. Russell hit a three to stop the run, but the Warriors followed up with four more to seal the game down the stretch.
 
The Spartans return to action Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. against UMass Boston. The Spartans' seniors will be honored prior to the contest.