NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University men's basketball team used a strong second half to down the Colby-Sawyer Chargers early Saturday evening, winning their first GNAC contest of the season in the opening round of the Hockenbury Classic.

Norwich had five players score in double-digits with Spencer Conatser (Reno, Nev.) leading the way with 12 points and Donovan Lewis Jr. (Savannah, Ga.) adding 11 points. Kohlby Murray (Fair Haven, Vt.), Caleb Casinas (Aiea, Hawaii), and Jaydon Cousin (Savannah, Ga.) all added 10 points a piece while coming off the bench.

After the Chargers jumped out to a 10-point lead in the opening 5:06 of play, Norwich was able to cut the lead down to four after Casinas scored on a jumper and Cousin followed with a pair of layups.

The Chargers again led by 10 with 6:39 remaining in the first half before Lewis Jr. converted a shot at the line and followed it up with a lay-in off of a pass by Dale Green (Jacksonville, Fla.). Norwich went into the halftime break down 35-30.

In the second half Colby-Sawyer led by as many as 12 before the Cadets hit a span of 7:30 where they held the Chargers scoreless, using it to spark a 17-0 run. The Cadets would not look back after taking the lead in the contest using the run to take control of the game on their way to a 72-63 victory.

Norwich (5-2, 1-0 GNAC) will face Springfield tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. in the championship game of the Hockenbury Classic.  They will then host NVU Lyndon on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m., before traveling down to Johnson & Wales for a 3 p.m. GNAC tilt with the Wildcats to close out 2021.