HARTFORD, Conn. — The Cinderella story for the Keuka College men’s basketball team looked like it was about to include the upset for all time on Friday.

The Wolves pushed top-ranked Trinity College to the brink in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament leading by six at the half, but a push from the Bantams ended the Wolves’ run with a 74-63 win.

Lamar Lovelace led Keuka College (15-14) with 25 points. Akinlana Popoola added 12 for the Wolves. Kaleb Nutifafa and Makya Morrison tied for the team lead with seven rebounds in the game. In his senior season but first with the Wolves, Lovelace ended with a staggering 636 points. Not only was it the most points in a season in Keuka College history, it also set the Empire 8 record for the most points by a player in a season in conference history.

The Bantams (26-2) scored the first four points of the game, but the Wolves (15-14) responded as Lovelace and Popoola each knocked down a 3 for the Green and Gold. The hosts responded, scoring eight of the next ten points to lead 14-8 midway through the first.

The Wolves would be held scoreless for over four minutes until Chase Welch knocked down a 3 to make it 21-15 with five minutes left in the half. Lovelace later banked in a 3 as Keuka cut the margin to a pair at 22-20. Welch followed with another 3 as the Wolves took the lead. The Green and Gold added to their advantage as they closed the first half on a 17-4 run spanning nine minutes to lead Trinity College 29-23 at the half.

Both teams came out of halftime trading baskets. Keuka remained ahead by six at the first media timeout. The Wolves used a 5-0 run to take a 9-point lead at the next timeout. A free throw by Quinn VanKerkhove pushed the Keuka advantage to 10, 41-31. Trinity cut into the lead, but Akinlana Popoola got a rebound and hit a 3 for the Wolves.

However, Trinity answered with a triple of its own to make it 44-38 Wolves with nine minutes remaining. The Bantams found their range and went on an 8-0 run to cut Keuka’s lead to one, 44-43, with 7:37 left to play.

Trinity tied the game at 49-49 with six minutes remaining. A 3 capped another run for the Bantams, this time a 7-0 run that gave them the lead. The run turned into a 13-2 stretch for the Bantams as Trinity opened a 58-51 lead over the Wolves as Keuka took a timeout.

The Wolves answered following the break as Lovelace came off a screen and drained a basket. However, the Bantams converted from the free throw line late. Trinity held off Keuka’s upset bid as the Bantams defeated the Wolves.

Friday was the first game a Keuka College men’s basketball team has played in the NCAA tournament in program history. The Wolves became the 22nd team at Keuka to play in the national tournament.

Keuka finished their season with a winning record for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

Lovelace set the Keuka College record for field goals made in a season and free throws in a season. He finished fourth in threes made in a year.

As a team, Keuka set a new program record for points in a season. The Wolves also set the program record for free throws in a year and tied for the free throw percentage record.