Lyons rally before slipping against Babson, Coppola nets season-high 36

February 9, 2008

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College men's basketball team overcame an early 22-point deficit to lead in the second half before falling to Babson College, 77-73 on Saturday in Emerson Gymnasium, the Lyons' third New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) loss by four points or less. Wheaton, which received a season-high 36 points from freshman Anthony Coppola (Watertown, MA/Watertown), fell to 12-8 overall and 3-6 in the league, while Babson improved to 7-13 and 4-4.

Babson scored 23 of the game's first 24 points by 9:59 of the opening stanza, as the Lyons missed their first 11 field goal tries while turning the ball over eight times. Wheaton's initial point came at 13:12, when senior Brent DiGiovanna (Hanover, MA/Hanover) knocked down a freebie. Five Beavers scored in the first 10:01, with senior Greg Bush (East Islip, NY/East Islip) netting eight and junior Zach Etten (Hollis, NH/Hollis-Brookline) seven.

Junior Kristopher Pedra (Avon, CT/Avon) hit the first Lyon field goal at 9:27, connecting on a leaning jumper in the lane and being fouled before finishing off a three-point play. After a 4-of-12 start, Babson hit its next six field goal attempts during a 3:26 span to lead 26-4 at 9:01.

Wheaton had only four points in the opening 11:52, but Coppola turned in five straight in a 23-second span to bring the hosts within 26-9 with 7:44 to go in the half and spark a period-ending 22-10 swing, during which time he netted all 12 of his opening-period points. The Lyons hit six of their final nine tries before halftime, including their final three during the last 49 seconds. Wheaton trailed at the half, 36-26 after recording 11 turnovers, but only three came during the final 10:01. Babson committed just six giveaways and shot 45.2 percent.

Wheaton quickly closed the gap in the second half, scoring the first seven points, with five coming from Coppola. Babson answered with a 9-2 run, with senior Brian MacDonald (Beverly, MA/Bishop Fenwick) scoring seven points, as the Beavers held a 45-35 lead at 15:35. The Lyons countered by scoring 14 of the next 16 points to take their first lead of the game, 49-47 when Coppola hit a pair of technical free throws at 12:33. Coppola scored eight of Wheaton's final 10 points during the run. The hosts edged ahead by four, 53-49 at 11:04 when sophomore Ben Stehle (Newton, MA/Newton South) grabbed an offensive board and scored.

Etten canned a three to put Babson back up for good at 10:26 before hitting another three-pointer to finish off a 10-0 run, and the visitors eventually twice went ahead by seven points. However, from the time Coppola hit a trey at 5:19 until the final buzzer, the Beavers never led by more than five, as the Lyons edged to within one possession five times. Freshman Ryan Sasso (Peabody, MA/Bishop Fenwick) hit three free throws during a 28-second span to draw the Lyons within 75-73 at 1:15, and Wheaton possessed with time waning before a game-tying basket was called off due to a charge with 11.2 seconds to go. Etten, who finished 12-of-12 on free throw tries, hit a pair of freebies with 9.7 ticks left to ice the game.

Coppola fell one point shy of an 18-year-old freshman school record for points while coming within four of the program's 15-year-old scoring record. His 36 points tie for seventh in Wheaton annals, and he hit seven threes in 13 attempts, tying the program's career record for games with at least seven three-pointers, as this was his third. Coppola finished 12-of-23 from the floor with three steals in 39 minutes as the lone Lyon with double-figure scoring. Junior Nick Michel (Hyde Park, MA/Boston Latin School) added nine points, while Stehle had nine rebounds and five assists.

Etten tallied 26 points, going 4-of-8 on three-point tries, to lead Babson, while MacDonald and senior Kyle McDonald (Wethersfield, CT/Wethersfield) notched 15 points apiece. Bush finished 6-of-9 for 12 points.

The Lyons don't play again until next Saturday at Springfield College at 1:00 p.m.

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