HENNIKER, N.H. – The Norwich University men's basketball team traveled to Henniker, N.H. on Wednesday falling to New England College 74-65 in their final game before the Hockenbury Classic.

Jalen Olivero (Holyoke, Mass.) had 10 points and added 11 rebounds in the contest recording his first double-double of the season. Donovan Lewis Jr. (Savannah, Ga.) scored 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field, and Kyle Booth (Northfield, Vt.) added another 11 points in the loss.

Jamal Allen of New England College knocked down 10 shots, and made nine attempts from the free throw line to compile a game-high 33 points.

The Cadets opened up the contest by scoring on their first possession of the game when Booth found Samuel-Noah Osarenkhoe (Stockholm, Sweden) for an open jumper. The Pilgrims then responded by scoring eight of the next 10 points in the game, before Norwich evened things up at 8-8.

After Booth and Olivero each hit a three-pointer on back-to-back possession giving the Cadets a 14-8 lead with 14:20 remaining in the first half. New England College stormed back taking the lead after Michael Tavilla knocked down a jumper, 21-20. Norwich went into the halftime break trailing, 35-32.

With 14:06 remaining in the second half, Norwich was able to retake the lead after Lewis Jr. hit a jumper putting the Cadets up 42-40. NEC and the Cadets battled to a 54-54 tie with 7:13 remaining before Allen gave the Pilgrims a lead that they would not relinquish.

Norwich (4-2, 0-0 GNAC) will play their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. against Colby-Sawyer in the first round of the Hockenbury Classic in Andrews Hall.  Depending on the result they will play either UMaine Fort Kent or Springfield on Sunday, Dec. 5 closing out the Hockenbury Classic.