Wheaton battles WPI before host Engineers pull away in NEWMAC play

January 26, 2008

WORCESTER, MA- The Wheaton College men's basketball team led Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) midway through the first half before the Engineers put together a big run to pull away for an 86-70 victory over the Lyons on Saturday at Worcester State College's Lancer Gymnasium.

The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest was played at the site due to unplayable conditions at WPI's Harrington Auditorium. Wheaton has now lost three straight and five of six in falling to 10-6 overall and 1-4 in the league. The Engineers are 13-5 and 4-1, having taken over first in the NEWMAC by virtue of Clark University's loss on Saturday.

Wheaton hit each of its first four field goal attempts and trailed just 12-10 by the 16:52 mark of the first half. The teams went cold from there, combining to miss their next 13 tries during a 4:27 scoreless drought before Lyon junior Nick Michel's (Hyde Park, MA/Boston Latin School) lay-up knotted the score at 12 with 12:23 to go. That sparked an 8-4 run, during which junior Kristopher Pedra (Avon, CT/Avon) tallied half of Wheaton's points, and the Lyons were staked to an 18-16 edge 10:20 before halftime.

However, the visitors finished the half shooting 3-of-13 with 11 turnovers during the final 9:31, and WPI began what turned into a 40-13 run that stretched into the second period. The Engineers twice forged ahead by 10 before the halftime buzzer and eventually held a 36-28 advantage at the break.

WPI began the second half on a 20-3 run and never looked back, as freshman Ryan Sasso's (Peabody, MA/Bishop Fenwick) three-pointer at 17:41 accounted for Wheaton's lone points during the opening 5:35. Each of the Lyons' first three second-half buckets came from long range, as they finished with eight three-pointers during the stanza and six baskets from inside the arc. After falling behind by as many as 28, Wheaton scored 17 of the game's final 22 points.

The visitors turned in a strong showing from three-point territory, going 10-of-21. Wheaton recorded 18 assists on 24 baskets but succumbed to a 44-33 rebounding deficit while committing 21 turnovers. WPI had 19 giveaways but recorded 13 steals, as well as 18 helpers while canning 12 threes.

Sophomore Jaxon Leo (Leesburg, VA/New Hampton School) led Wheaton with 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting to go along with six rebounds and two blocks, while Pedra added a season-high 10 points in 16 minutes off the bench. Three different players added eight points, while Sasso and freshman Bud Gaffney (Berkley, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) each contributed a team-best five helpers. Twelve of Wheaton's 13 players scored.

WPI was led by junior Jerome Kirkland (Boston, MA/John D. O'Bryant), who tallied 24 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting, as well as six rebounds and four steals. Senior Antoine Coleman (Everett, MA/Everett) had 13 points, six rebounds and three steals, while junior Adam Lirette (Dover, NH/Dover) notched nine points, seven assists and six boards. Two other Engineers had 10 points.

Wheaton returns to Norton for a two-game homestand this coming week, as the Lyons first take on Springfield College on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 1/28/08.
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