Nichols Holds off Men's Basketball

DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior DeAnte Bruton (New London, Conn.) paced three players in double figures with a game-high 28 points as the seventh-ranked Nichols College men's basketball team (6-0, 1-0 Commonwealth Coast Conference) held off Wentworth Institute of Technology, 72-64.

THE BASICS:

LEADING SCORERS:  Kevin Fernandez, 14; Stephen Azums 10; Tyler Lennon, 10; Trey Carrier, 10; Jack Schaake, 10
LEADING REBOUNDER:  Stephen Azums, 13
ASSIST LEADER:  Kyle Henseler, 2

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Playing its second nationally ranked opponent of the season, Wentworth fell behind by an 8-2 score five and a half minutes into the contest when junior Matt Morrow (Leicester, Mass.) made a layup. The Leopards used a 6-2 spurt, with the last four points coming from freshman Jack Schaake (Hampton, N.H.) to pull within two with just over 13 minutes left in the half.
• Using an 8-1 run, the Bison took an 18-9 lead after a senior Joseph Sekator (Coventry, R.I.) layup, however, the Leopards responded with an 8-0 run and cut the lead to one (18-17) after a junior Trey Carrier (Wilton, N.H.) basket with 6:01 left in the half. Nichols countered with a 9-2 run, pushing its lead to 27-19 with just over three minutes remaining and closed out the half on an 8-1 run to lead, 35-22, at the break.
• The Bison extended their run by scoring the first four points of the second half and led, 39-22, after a Bruton layup and took their largest lead (45-26) of the contest on a junior Nate Tenaglia (Tewksbury, Mass.) layup with 16:56 left.
• Trailing by 15 (52-37) with 13:32 remaining, the Black & Gold scored the next seven points to bring the deficit to single digits (52-44) after senior Stephen Azums (Hyde Park, Mass.) hit one of two free throws. Bruton followed with six straight points to bring the Bison lead to 14 and would lead, 63-49, after sophomore Jaekwon Spencer (Bristol, Conn.) hit a three pointer with 6:28 left in the contest.
• Six straight points from sophomore Kevin Fernandez (Lawrence, Mass.) brought the lead back to eight before Bruton converted a three-point play to push the lead back to double figures. Fernandez countered with a three-point play of his own, making it 66-58 with 3:48 remaining and his jumper 37 seconds later brought the Black & Gold within six at 66-60.
• Four straight points from Morrow gave Nichols a 10-point lead with 2:17 left. Wentworth was able to bring the lead down to eight on a pair of Carrier baskets, which were sandwiched around a Bruton basket, however, would get no closer.
• Five players scored in double figures for the Leopards, including Fernandez who scored 13 of his team-high 14 points in the second half. Azums, Carrier, Schaake, and junior Tyler Lennon (Atkinson, N.H.) each scored 10 points.
• Azums recorded his eighth double-double in nine games as he grabbed a game-high 13 caroms.
• Morrow finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Bison while Spencer added 10 points in the win.

SERIES NOTES:

• Tonight marked the 49th all-time meeting between the two programs with Nichols now holding a 28-21 series advantage. The Bison have won the last six series meetings.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth closes out first semester play on Saturday (December 7) against CCC foe Roger Williams at 3:00 p.m.

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