WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Penn College men's basketball dropped its opening game at the Eastern Holiday Invitational to tournament host Eastern Connecticut State, 86-57, Monday evening. The Wildcats fell to 1-10 on the season while the Warriors improved to 8-1.

The Wildcats take on Wesleyan University on Tuesday at 12 p.m., in the tournament consolation game. Wesleyan fell to Nichols College, 86-83 in double overtime in the first game of the tournament.

How it happened: A brief 1-0 lead on a Peyton Murphy free throw to begin the game was the lone Penn College lead before ECSU took over with a 12-0 run and maintained its lead for the rest of the day. Jenssyn Shuey's three with 15:09 on the clock stalled the Warrior run.

Later in the half, Colby Bost hit a long-range bucket to pull the Wildcats back within a nine-point deficit, 23-14, but the Warriors kept its distance to lead 29-36 at the break.

Jay Henry started the Wildcats' scoring in the second half and Murphy scored the next four points to cut into the Warriors' lead, but a 47-point half from the home team was too much to overcome.

Inside the box: Octavio Alexander led the Wildcats with 11 points in 25 minutes of work while Josh Shepherd joined Alexander in double-digit scoring with 10 points. Murphy finished with six points and a team-high four assists and three steals.

The Warriors shot 43% (32-75) while limiting the Wildcats to just 26% (18-61) and forced 22 turnovers.