GENEVA, N.Y.—Division II Roberts Wesleyan College led by as many as 14 points but had to hold its breath as Hobart College launched a 45-foot heave at the buzzer. The shot was off the mark, leaving the Redhawks a narrow 59-58 victory in the first round of the 50th annual Wendy's College Classic in Bristol Gym tonight.
 
Senior guard Tyrel Dixon led Roberts Wesleyan with a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double. Junior guard Darren Dixon added 10 points.
 
First-year Colin Dougherty was the only Statesman to reach double digits, finishing with 13 points. Junior guard Pete Drescher added six points, a team-high eight rebounds, and a game-high four steals.
 
The Redhawks turned a two-point halftime lead into a 51-37 advantage with 9:53 remaining in the contest. Tyrel Dixon had six points during the surge, including a steal and breakaway dunk.
 
Hobart trailed by nine with a minute remaining, but first-year guard Jamal Lucas made a layup to kick-start the ill-fated comeback. RWC missed a layup at the other end of the floor and the Statesmen secured the rebound. The Redhawks fouled first-year Matt Walsh and he made both free throws to make it a 5-point game with 33 seconds to go.
 
Hobart nearly came away with a steal in the backcourt, but was forced to foul Tyrel Dixon. He missed the frontend of the one-and-one and Drescher collected the carom. The Statesmen misfired on offense and again had to foul with 14.1 seconds left. This time junior guard Jordan McBride sank the first free throw, but missed the second, making it a 6-point lead.
 
Drescher made it a 4-point game on a jumper with seven seconds left. Dougherty stole the inbounds pass and launched a long 3 that swished home to make it a 59-58 RWC lead with 2.8 seconds remaining. The Redhawks threw a long outlet pass to Tyrel Dixon, who stepped on the end line under the basket to give the ball back to Hobart with 0.5 seconds to play. The Statesmen connected on an inbounds pass just across midcourt, but Lucas' desperation shot at the buzzer was offline.
 
Hobart shot just 32 percent from the floor and made just four 3-pointers (7 off its season average), but converted 12-of-17 at the free throw line for the game. Roberts Wesleyan shot 41 percent from the floor, but struggled from long range (3-of-20) and at the line (10-of-21, 48%).
 
The Redhawks (1-3) advance to the semifinals at the University of Rochester at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4 against Geneseo. The Statesmen (3-2) will play in the consolation semifinals at Roberts Wesleyan on Friday at 8 p.m. against Nazareth.