Box Score HANOVER, Ind. — A pair of free throws and a pair of 3-pointers made the difference on Saturday as the Earlham College men's basketball team defeated Hanover College 57-53.

"It feels great to beat a really good, well-coached team on the road," Earlham Head Coach Marcus Gill said. "It feels really good to finally get that first win."

The victory is the first for Gill as a head coach and it also ended Earlham's 36-game losing streak that dates back to Dec. 18, 2010 when the Quakers beat Kenyon College 76-70.

"I could not be more proud of the guys and how we played on both ends of the floor," Gill said.

After Hanover cut Earlham's lead to 55-53 with 11 seconds remaining, Ryan Taylor (Martinsville, IN, Martinsville) gave the Quakers an insurmountable lead with eight seconds to play as he hit a pair of free throws for the final points of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference contest.

Hanover led 51-49 when Colton Bragg (Richmond, IN, Richmond) drilled a 3-pointer to give Earlham the lead for good at 52-51 lead with 1:28 on the clock.

After the Panthers missed a trey of their own, Taylor increased Earlham's advantage by nailing a 3-pointer to make it 55-51 with 18 seconds to go setting the stage for the Quakers to celebrate the victory.

For Hanover, the loss snapped a six-game winning streak, which started in Richmond with a 90-61 win over Earlham on Jan. 14.

Dustin Rusk (Frankfort, IN, Clinton Prairie) led the Quakers with 11 points and six rebounds, while Justin Barger (Ellettsville, IN, Edgewood) and Marcus Bledsoe (Indianapolis, IN, Ritter) added 10 points each. Barger also had five rebounds.

Marty Broderick (Mooresville, IN, Mooresville), who had some key baskets late in the contest, ended with nine points.

Taylor finished with eight points and Bragg tossed in five points.

Early Lead for EC

The game was tight early before the Quakers were able to take a 12-7 lead after Bledsoe hit a pair of 3-pointers with the last coming at the 15:24 mark of the opening period.

Hanover (15-5, 11-3) eventually responded and grabbed the lead before Broderick was able to tie the game at 23-23 with 5:44 left in the first half.

Answering with a 12-4 run the rest of the frame, the Quakers led 34-27 by intermission.

In the second half, the Panthers closed the gap to 34-30 before the Quakers put together another run to go take a 38-30 lead when Bragg hit two free throws.

The contest got closer at 38-35 just before Taylor was fouled shooting a 3-pointer. He hit all three free throws to make it 41-35 at 11:22.

Later in the half, the Panthers tied the game at 43-43 at 7:06. At the 5:39 mark, the game was knotted again at 45-45.

Hanover scored the next four points to go on top before Broderick had two baskets and it was tied again at 49-49 with 2:20 remaining.

On its next possession, Hanover took a 51-49 lead to set up Bragg and Taylor's heroics in the final moments.  

Earlham (1-20, 1-13) entertains Defiance College Wednesday night on Schuckman Court in the Athletics and Wellness Center. The HCAC affair begins at 7:30 p.m.

Box Score