BOSTON, Mass. – Senior Corey Therriault (Auburn, Maine) scored 13 of his game-high 15 points in the second half as the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team won its fourth straight game with a 59-50 win over Eastern Nazarene in Commonwealth Coast Conference action played at Tansey Gymnasium.
The Leopards, who held the Lions to nearly 36 points below their season average, overcame a pair of early deficits, including being down by four (15-11) with 9:37 remaining in the first half. Wentworth responded with a 9-2 spurt and took a 20-17 lead on a freshman Ian Therriault (Auburn, Maine) layup with 6:50 left. After a senior Chima Ezeigbo (Roanoke, Va.) basket made it a 20-19 game with 5:46 left, the hosts closed out the half by outscoring Eastern Nazarene, 7-2, and taking a 27-21 lead into the locker room.
A 3-pointer from sophomore Nico Donato (Glastonbury, Conn.) and basket by senior Dailon Wilson (Houston, Texas) to open the half gave Wentworth its largest lead at 32-21 just 1:14 into the half. Eastern Nazarene used an 8-2 run to cut the lead to 34-29 – thanks in part to five points from senior Max Barbosa (Dorchester, Mass.) – with 15:45 left.
Wentworth responded with one of Corey Therriault's four second half 3-pointers and a pair of free throws from senior Matt Harte (Troy, N.Y.) to push the lead to 10. The Lions would cut the lead to seven two more times but Corey Therriault answered with a shot from behind the arc to up the lead back to 10.
A pair of Barbosa 3-pointer's, sandwiched around a layup from sophomore John-Michael Fragnoli (Scotia, N.Y.) made it a six-point game with 9:52 left and started a 13-3 spurt and saw Eastern Nazarene trail by just one (51-50) with just under 3:00 left. However, two consecutive baskets from Fragnoli and a pair of free throws from junior Derek Mayo (Casco, Maine) sealed the win for the Leopards.
In addition to his 15 points, Therriault had four assists, while Fragnoli had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Wilson and Donato chipped in with eight points apiece in the win. The Leopards held a 40-30 edge on the glass and held the Lions to 34.5 percent shooting for the game.
Barbosa led Eastern Nazarene with 11 points to go along with three assists. Ezeigbo and junior Brian Hard added seven points apiece for the Lions.
With the win the Leopards improve to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in CCC play. Wentworth hosts Newbury on Thursday night. Eastern Nazarene sees its four-game win streak snapped, falling to 4-2 (1-1). The Lions are idle until hosting Thomas on New Year's Day.
