NORTHFIELD, Vt. – After just one game, the Norwich University men's basketball team showed immense growth in its game highlighted by a 16-for-35 (45.7%) performance from beyond the arc. However, it was not enough to send the team's two seniors home with a win as the team faltered down the stretch in an 86-76 non-conference loss to NVU-Johnson on Tuesday evening at Andrews Gym.

Seniors Jesse Davis (Woodinville, Wash.) and Kyle Booth (Northfield, Vt.) were both honored before the game by the team for their contributions to the program over the last four years.

Davis, energized by the moment, hit a career-tying best seven three-pointers on 13 attempts for 21 points for the hosts. Junior Donovan Lewis Jr. (Savannah, Ga.) double-doubled with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds and also found the open man on the perimeter as witnessed by his four assists. Junior Spencer Conatser (Reno, Nev.) hit on 4-of-5 from deep for 12 points while junior Caleb Casinas (Aiea, Hawaii) and freshman Jarontez Garrett (Atlanta, Ga.) also scored in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Norwich (0-2) jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead thanks in large part to five-straight points by Garrett which forced NVU-Johnson (2-3) to take an early timeout. Freshman Amari Scott (Atlanta, Ga.) found his way inside after a feed from Casinas to give the Cadets a 17-7 lead with 13:27 on the clock. Following that bucket, however, the Badgers began chipping their way back into the game.

By the 8:52 mark of the first, NVU-Johnson had knotted the game at 21-21 after a free throw by Samuel Stevens. The Badgers then took their first lead of the game less than a minute later as Phillip Lyttle scored on a layup.

The teams then battled back and forth for the remainder of the half until Robert Dubose Jr. made a pull-up jumper with seven clicks left on the clock to send the visitors into the locker room with a 39-37 halftime lead.

The Badgers put together a couple of mini runs at the onset of the second half to generate a 52-44 lead on the heels of a dunk and a layup by Zach Shedd.

With the Cadets down 57-49, Davis zeroed in on the basket from outside hitting three of his seven triples to give the lead back to the hosts 66-59 with 7:50 remaining in the game.

NVU-Johnson made a quick adjustment following a timeout and went on a 16-0 run in a span of five and a half minutes to take a 75-66 lead with 2:36 to go. Norwich was unable to get the deficit under eight the rest of the way surrendering its second loss in as many days to the Badgers.

Dubose Jr. scored 12 of his game-high 34 points in the last five minutes of the game to help the Badgers secure the win.

Norwich will return to action this weekend with a home-and-away series against NVU-Lyndon starting at home on Saturday at 1 p.m. and concluding on the road on Sunday at 2 p.m.