(Carlisle, Pa.) – The Dickinson men's basketball team suffered its first conference loss of the year, dropping a 61-58 decision to visiting Muhlenberg on Wednesday night.

The game was close in the early going as the teams played to 13-13 tie over the opening eight minutes. The Red Devils went on a 9-0 run to take their biggest lead of the half, 22-13, with 10:07 remaining.

The Devils looked as though were starting to control the game, but the Mules answered with a 7-0 run to close out the half, tied, 31-31. Alec Stavetski drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to knot the game as the teams went into the break.

Dickinson started the second half with a 6-0 run before Muhlenberg quickly answered, taking a 38-37 lead on a Matt O'Hara three-pointer at the 15:32 mark. The lead changed hands a couple of times before the Mules stretched the margin to 47-41 on a pair of Malique Killing free throws.

The Devils would come back once again, however, taking a one-point lead on two Tucker Landy (Durham, Conn./Xavier) free throws with 4:41 remaining in the game. Sophomore Gerry Wixted (Moorestown, N.J./Lawrenceville School) added another free throw to put the Devils up, 55-53.

Killing tied the game with a jumper and O'Hara gave Muhlenberg a 57-55 advantage, following a Devil miss on the other end. First-year Brandon Angradi (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley) knocked-down a huge three-pointer from the corner to give Dickinson back the lead, 58-57, with 49 seconds to play.

Killing would live up to his name, burying a three-pointer for the Mules to put them up, 60-58. The Devils turned the ball over and were forced to foul. Austin Curry hit one-of-two as Wixted pulled down the rebound on the second shot.

The Devils called timeout but were left with 2.8 seconds on the clock to create a final opportunity. Junior Adam Honig (Chappaqua, N.Y./Horace Greeley) put up a shot from the corner but it was just off the mark, for the final of 61-58.

Wixted led the Red Devils with 17 points and 10 rebounds, adding a pair of steals and three blocked shots. Honig finished with 11 points, hitting a trio of three-pointers, adding four rebounds and recording a game-high six steals.

Senior Chris Barsanti (Hummelstown, Pa./Tilton School) reached double-figures with 10 points, adding six rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block. Landy tallied 10 points as well to go with a pair of assists and a steal.

Killing scored a game-high 18 points, adding four steals as Muhlenberg improves to 5-2 and 3-1 in the Centennial Conference. Bradon Bovino added 14 points and 11 rebounds on the night.

The Red Devils slip to 5-2 and 3-1. They are home again on Saturday hosting Ursinus College at 2:00 pm.