Junior Tyler Hixson (Shortsville, NY/Red Jacket) scored a career-high 31 points, but the Keuka College men's basketball team suffered a tough 69-67 home loss to Wells College Wednesday night inside the Weed Physical Arts Center.

Hixson shot 11-for-15 (73.3 percent) and scored 19 first-half points and 12 second-half points, but Keuka (3-3, 1-1 NEAC) didn't score over the final 2:04 and fell to the Express (2-5, 2-0 NEAC).

Sophomore Casey Williams (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) added 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists while sophomore Vinney Zambito (Elba, NY/Batavia Notre Dame) had 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists for the Storm.

Junior Trevor Healey (Wethersfield, CT/Wethersfield) added 7 rebounds, 4 points, 4 assists and 3 steals for the Green and Gold, who shot 22-for-47 (46.8 percent) for the game. Wells shot 50 percent in both halves and finished 25-for-50.

Junior Jared Wagner (Pittsford, NY/McQuaid) hit a layup and Hixson scored six straight points to stake the Storm to an early 8-2 lead.

Wells countered with a 7-0 run and led 9-8 on a layup from J.J. Walton, and the two schools traded baskets until the Express used a 10-3 run to seize a 28-22 lead with 3:59 remaining.

Hixson, Williams and Zambito each hit layups as the Storm took a 35-33 halftime lead. Keuka scored 22 points in the paint in the opening half.

The Storm's lead swelled to 46-38 on Hixson's third straight basket to open the second half, but Wells went on a 9-0 run and led 47-46 on a layup from Jordan Jean five minutes into the second half.

Williams drained consecutive 3s for a 52-49 Storm lead with 13:41 remaining, but the Express used a 16-3 run to take a 65-55 lead with 6:28 remaining.

A resilient Storm squad fought back behind a layup and a pair of free throws from junior Adam Starks (Wellsville, NY/Andover) and a pair of free throws from Hixson and Williams. Williams' two free throws pulled the Storm within 67-65 with 4:38 remaining, but both teams would score only two more points apiece (on free throws) as the Storm suffered the tough-luck loss.

Walton scored 16 points with 4 steals and 4 rebounds to pace the Express.

Keuka returns to action with a 1 p.m. home clash against rival SUNYIT Saturday afternoon. That contest occurs on Hall of Fame Day, as Nancy Wightman (synchronized swimming coach) will be inducted into Keuka's Athletics Hall of Fame at halftime of the men's game.

Both games will be streamed live with play-by-play and color commentary. The broadcast, which will kickoff at 12:50 p.m. with a pregame show, can be viewed at www.ustream.tv/channel/keuka-college-athletics.