WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Vermont State University Castleton men's basketball team returned to the win column on Saturday afternoon, leading wire-to-wire in a 77-64 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University in a Little East Conference showdown. The Spartans delivered a well-balanced performance, scoring 38 points in the first half and 39 in the second.
Castleton opened the contest on a 7-0 run, fueled by five points from Justin Schwarzbeck and a basket from Will Radcliff. The Spartans extended their lead to as many as 16 points in the first half, but Eastern Connecticut battled back, outscoring Castleton 17-6 in the final five minutes to trim the deficit to five at halftime.
The Warriors continued their momentum early in the second half with a layup from Julian Sanchez, cutting Castleton's lead to just three. However, the Spartans responded with a 19-10 run, reestablishing a 14-point cushion at the midway mark, 57-43. Both teams struggled to sustain offensive runs until the 4:24 mark, when Conner McKearin ignited a six-point burst for Castleton. McKearin contributed a pair of layups, while Schwarzbeck added a basket in the paint, pushing the lead to 73-57 with 2:44 remaining. Eastern Connecticut outscored Castleton 7-4 in the closing minutes, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit as the Spartans secured their third conference victory of the season.
Schwarzbeck led the team with a double-double, posting 21 points and 11 rebounds. He was highly efficient, shooting 9-of-12 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. He also tallied a team-high eight defensive rebounds, along with a steal and a block.
Troy Butler also impressed offensively with 19 points, while Radcliff and McKearin added 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Radcliff and Schwarzbeck combined for seven offensive rebounds, helping the Spartans to 14 second-chance points, while Eastern Connecticut managed just four. Castleton also capitalized on turnovers, converting 21 points off Eastern Connecticut's mistakes compared to the hosts' 15.
The Spartans remain on the road as they travel to UMass Boston on Wednesday, February 19, for a 7 p.m. Little East Conference matchup.
