Men's Basketball Edged in Season Opener

PLYMOUTH, N.H.. – Senior Dante Rivera (Lawrence, Mass.) scored a game-high 24 points to help the Plymouth State University men's basketball team edge Wentworth Institute of Technology, 74-73, in non-conference action Tuesday night.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

LEADING SCORERS:  Trey Carrier, 15; Sam Swift, 14; Sam Goy, 13; Kevin Fernandez, 11
LEADING REBOUNDERS:  Jack Schaake, 8; Thomas Hacker, 7; Tyler Lennon, 7
ASSIST LEADERS:  Kevin Fernandez, 5

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Wentworth took a 3-2 lead after sophomore Sam Goy (Derry, N.H.) hit a three pointer 1:39 into the contest. The lead was erased when Plymouth State used a 7-0 run, taking a 9-3 lead on a pair of free throws from sophomore Kevin Henry (Stratham, N.H.).
• The Panthers upped their lead to eight (13-5) on a sophomore Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) jumper with 14:23 left before a transition three from senior Kevin Fernandez (Lawrence, Mass.) and a three from classmate Trey Carrier (Wilton, N.H.) cut the lead in half (15-11) in a 6-2 spurt.
• Using a 15-5 run, the hosts took a 14-point lead (30-16) after Rivera made two free throws with 5:41 left in the half. Plymouth State took its largest lead of the game on a put back from senior Gerald Fleming (Tampa, Fla.) with 3:55 left before the Leopards used a 11-4 run and cut the lead to eight (38-30), thanks to two junior Jack Schaake (Hampton, N.H.) free throws with 57 seconds left. Bosse made a layup with 18 seconds left, giving the Panthers a 10-point edge (40-30) at the break.
• Plymouth State led by as many as 13 early in the second half after a basket from Rivera, however, Wentworth outscored the Panthers, 11-0 over a span of four and a half minutes with senior Kyle Henseler (Coventry, R.I.) making a layup to make it a two-point game.
• The Panthers upped their lead to as many as five before the Black & Gold took their first two leads since early in the first half. Goy gave Wentworth a 57-56 advantage after hitting a pull-up jumper, while Fernandez put the Leopards back in front with a layup after the Panthers had reclaimed the lead.
• Wentworth held a two-point lead (63-61) when Schaake connected on a second-chance opportunity before the hosts used an 11-2 run to take a 72-65 lead after a Fleming basket with 2:54 remaining. Carrier put home a second-chance basket to trim the lead to five before Rivera converted at the other end to make it 74-67 with 2:10 left.
• Goy hit a three and made one of two free throws to cut the lead to three with 45 seconds left. On Goy's second free throw, the Black & Gold had a second- and third-chance opportunity but would not score. Rivera grabbed the rebound and was fouled where he missed the front end of the one-and-one. Schaake pulled Wentworth to within one (74-73) with 16 seconds left with a driving layup.
• With 10 seconds left, the Panthers threw the ball away, giving Wentworth a chance at the win. Fernandez drove to the basket where his shot rimmed out as time expired.
• Four players scored in double figures for Wentworth, with Carrier leading the way scoring 15 points and grabbing five rebounds. Junior Sam Swift (Arlington, Mass.) had 14 points – which included going 4-for-7 from behind the arc. Goy added 13 points and Fernandez scored 11 points and dished out five assists.

SERIES NOTES:

• This was the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth is at Wheaton on Saturday at 1:00 p.m..

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