CASTLETON, Vt. – The Lyndon State College men's basketball team finished out the first semester with a 58-50 North Atlantic Conference loss at Castleton University Saturday afternoon.

The Hornets received a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds from Charles Correa Jr. (Prospect Heights, R.I.).  Darnay Gray (Mashantucket, Conn.) added 10 points and eight rebounds.

Chad Copeland recorded 12 points and six rebounds to lead the Spartans.  Pavin Parrish and Julian Santos added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Lyndon took a 9-4 lead five minutes into the game as Correa hit two early three-pointers.  Holding onto the tight lead, Lyndon was up 17-14 until six straight points from Castleton gave the hosts their first lead of the afternoon at 20-17.  Down by four after a Ben Mrowka three-pointer, the Hornets scored six straight points to take the lead, and then scored four of the final five points of the first half to go into the locker room ahead at halftime, 29-28.

Copeland scored on back-to-back possessions to put the Spartans up 32-29 but Correa answered with a three to tie the score.  After a layup from Copeland, Correa hit from downtown again, this time to take back the lead 35-34.  The game went back-and-forth for the next five minutes, but after a layup by Gray put the Hornets ahead, 41-39, the Spartans scored 12 straight points, seven of them by Santos, to take the lead for good.

The Hornets put together one final rally, starting with a three-pointer by Eric Vargas (Lowell, Mass.) and capped by four straight points from Gray to close to within three at 53-50 with 1:43 left in regulation.  The Spartans prevented the Hornets from scoring the rest of the way and hit 5-of-6 free throw attempts in the final minute to close out the contest.

Lyndon (2-5, 1-2 NAC) will return to the court on Tuesday, January 3 to host New England College at 5:30 p.m.

Castleton (7-2, 4-1 NAC) does not play again until it begins participation in the SUNY Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, facing Stevens Tech Thursday, Dec. 29, at 5 p.m.