BOSTON, Mass. – The Vermont State University Castleton men's basketball team saw an early 14-point lead unravel as it dropped a three-point decision to UMass Boston on Wednesday evening, 74-71.

Troy Butler led the way for the Spartans with a game-high 24 points, shooting an efficient 9-of-13 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Justin Schwarzbeck added 20 points of his own, connecting on four three-pointers while pulling down a team-high nine rebounds.

The game started with Castleton firing on all cylinders, as Butler drained a three-pointer on the opening possession, and Ben Seiler followed with another from deep to put the Spartans up 6-0. Castleton maintained the early momentum, building an 18-5 lead behind a fast-break layup from Butler and back-to-back triples from Schwarzbeck.

UMass Boston responded with a run of its own, capitalizing on turnovers to claw back into the game. Despite a late three-pointer from Butler, the Spartans trailed 38-30 heading into halftime.

Castleton continued to battle in the second half, closing the gap multiple times. A three-pointer from Schwarzbeck at the 17:37 mark cut the deficit to three, and a layup from Will Radcliff kept the Spartans within striking distance at 46-41. Radcliff was dominant on the boards, finishing with a game-high 18 rebounds to go along with eight points and seven assists.

With under two minutes to play, Butler drilled another three-pointer to pull Castleton within one at 72-71, but UMass Boston hit a key jumper in the final moments, leaving the Spartans with only a few seconds to mount a final response. Butler was quick to move down the court and put up a shot from distance as time ran out, but the attempt fell just short, allowing the Beacons to claim a 74-71 win.

The Spartans outshot the Beacons from three-point range, going 12-of-28 from deep, and won the rebounding battle 40-36.

Castleton will close out its season on Saturday as it hosts Southern Maine for a 2 p.m. matchup on Senior Day.