The Colonels’ men’s basketball team hosted the DeSales Bulldogs on Wednesday, and lost the game 76-67. This was the team’s first loss since their last matchup versus DeSales on Jan. 20.

The Colonels had a terrible performance from three-point line, only making 7 of 22 attempts. The loss puts the team at an (11-11) record with three games left. Senior guard Alec Wizar led the team with 18 points.

Although the men’s team was outplayed and beat, they should be looking at the positives of the season with three games left. After their loss to DeSales last month, the men’s team was  (6-10).

The team then faced FDU Florham, where they went into double overtime and pulled out the win 93-89.  Alec Wizar logged the 1000th point of his college career,  beginning a streak that lasted for almost a month.

Having a hot streak like this going toward the end of the regular season can help invigorate a team to achieve higher goals than may have been expected. Head Coach Izzi Metz has pinned the late season hot streak on one thing: maturity. Metz links the senior leadership as the key to team success.

“Our seniors in particular —  Alec Wizar, Steve Stravinski, and Devin Dunn — have provided good leadership and have performed like veterans on the court,” Metz explains. “The rest of the team has stepped up under this leadership.”

Senior guard Devin Dunn has enjoyed the ride, as he is slowly reaching the end of his senior year. Dunn is looking beyond the regular season and sees the Colonels making some noise in the conference tournament.

“I like to think this team can make a run at the MAC,” Dunn said. “Everyone from 1 to 16 has stepped up and contributed to the positive attitude that is vital during a winning streak.”

With the streak ending at five, the Colonels must not let the defeat to DeSales get the best of them.  Alec Wizar, for one,  enjoyed every moment of the winning streak, and believes that it is time to move on from the loss and keep pushing forward, because the team still has unfinished business.

“The high point of the winning streak was the games themselves,” Wizar explained. “Every time  we won, the feeling would get better and better. I do not believe that we have reached the real high point of the regular season yet.”

The Colonels will be on the road for their next two games against Delaware Valley University and FDU Florham. That leads the team to return home for senior night on Feb. 20, for a showdown with King’s.