Hot Shooting Second Half Lifts Men's Basketball Past Western New England

BOSTON, Mass. – Four players scored in double figures, including senior Trey Carrier (Wilton, N.H.) who scored 19 points, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out six assists as the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team (5-5, 2-2 Commonwealth Coast Conference) defeated Western New England (4-7, 2-3), 84-70, in CCC action Thursday night.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

LEADING SCORERS:  Trey Carrier 19; Jack Connell 15; Kyle Henseler, 14; Sam Swift 14
LEADING REBOUNDERS:  Carrier 5; Jack Schaake 4
ASSIST LEADERS:  Carrier 6; Kevin Fernandez 4

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Wentworth raced out to a seven-point lead in the first 2:40 of the contest, taking a 9-2 lead on a three pointer from senior Kyle Henseler (Coventry, R.I.). Western New England used a 14-5 run over the next three and a half minutes, taking a 16-14 lead after freshman Jake Harrison (South Boston, Mass.) converted a three-point play with 13:44 left in the half.
• Junior Jack Schaake (Hampton, N.H.) tied the game with a layup 46 seconds later before graduate student Alex Sikorski (Rocky Hill, Conn.) gave the Golden Bears the lead back with a basket on the visitors' next possession. A pair of free throws from Carrier began an 11-2 run and he capped the run off with a layup with just over six minutes left in the frame.
• Western New England pulled within two on a Harrison basket with 2:33 left but a three pointer from Henseler and two free throws by Carrier, sandwiched around a jumper from sophomore Brian Geitner (Tolland, Conn.) gave the Black & Gold a five-point lead and senior Kevin Fernandez (Lawrence, Mass.) put the hosts ahead by seven (36-29) at the break with a basket late in the half. Wentworth shot 54.2 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.
• The Leopards opened the second half on a 9-3 run, taking a 45-32 lead on a Henseler jumper with 16:38 left to play. A layup by Sikorski and a three from Geitner cut the lead to eight before Wentworth extended its lead back to 12 less than a minute later. Western New England cut the lead in half after Geitner hit a three with 11:08 remaining but freshman Jack Connell (Walpole, Mass.) drained a three and Henseler followed with a basket of his own, pushing the lead to 11 and igniting a 14-2 run, which gave Wentworth a 68-50 lead with 7:25 left.
• Wentworth, which shot 64.5 percent in the second half, led by as many as 22 with 3:34 left when junior Sam Swift (Arlington, Mass.) hit a three.
• In addition to Carrier's 19 points, Connell knocked down a career-high 15, connecting on 6-of-7 shots and dishing out three assists. Henseler and Swift each scored 14 points, with all of Swift's points coming in the second half. The Leopards shot 60 percent (33-for-55) for the contest, which included knocking down 9-of-16 from behind the arc.
• Harrison (19), Geitner (16) and Sikorski (14) led the Golden Bears in scoring.

SERIES NOTES:

• Tonight marked the 26th all-time meeting between the two teams. Wentworth has won the last two series meetings and holds a 17-9 series advantage.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth was scheduled to play Curry on Saturday, January 15, however, that game has been postponed. The Leopards may potentially play another opponent in the Colonels' place.

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