WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Middlebury College men’s basketball team picked up its biggest win of the season so far on Saturday, upsetting host Williams, 80-66. 
The Panthers improved to 14-5, 3-2 in NESCAC play, while the Ephs dropped to 15-2, 4-1 in the league. Williams — which took its first loss three days before, 63-62 at league foe Amherst in a game that did not count in the NESCAC standings — is now tied with Wesleyan at 4-1 for first place, with the Panthers in fifth in the tightly bunched standings. 
Middlebury will host Trinity (13-5, 2-2 NESCAC) on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Leading by 15-10 at 11:44 mark of the first half, the Panthers rattled off a 12-2 run to take a 27-12 lead. The Panthers maintained that 15-point lead at the break, 38-23. 
Williams went on a 21-10 run to cut the lead to 57-52 with 8:26 remaining. Middlebury answered with a basket by Jack Farrell and a three from Hilal Dahleh, and the Ephs got no closer than seven points the rest of the way. 
Farrell paced the Panthers with 24 points and five assists, while Max Bosco contributed 18 points and six rebounds. Matt Folger added 17 points, including five threes, to go along with seven rebounds. Eric McCord pulled down a game-high 11 boards, while Alex Sobel blocked six shots and grabbed five boards.
James Heskett led the Ephs with 20 points, while Bobby Casey and Matt Karpowicz each had 18 points and six rebounds. Williams had been ranked No. 3 in NCAA Division III before the two setbacks.