Hot Shooting Races Wentworth Past Men’s Basketball

BOSTON, Mass. (January 13, 2022) – The Western New England University men's basketball team saw the Leopards of Wentworth Institute of Technology shoot 60 % from the field in a 84–70 loss in CCC action on Thursday night. 

Records:

• Western New England: 4-7 (2-3 CCC)
• Wentworth Institute: 5-5 (2-2 CCC)

How it Happened: 

After the originally scheduled game was postponed from Wednesday January 12 to Thursday January 13, the Golden Bears and Leopards met for the first time in nearly two years, playing the last game in Springfield on February 19, 2020. Wentworth got off to a hot shooting start and never looked back as they took the early 6-0 lead through the first two minutes of play. Jake Harrison, who led the Golden Bears in the game with 19 points on 8-11 shooting, nailed the first bucket for WNE to get the ball rolling. A Kyle Henseler three ball would put Wentworth ahead 9-2 just three minutes into the contest. Western New England would come around to close the gap and get within two points after Brian Berritto cashed in from distance to put the Golden Bears down by two. Western New England would take their first lead of the game at the 13:44 mark off a layup from Harrison, who also was fouled on the play to convert the three-point play. 

The lead for the Golden Bears would be short lived as Wentworth would continue to come out firing on all cylinders and would retake the lead with 12:12 to play in the first half, a lead the Leopards would hold onto for the final 30+ minutes of play. WNE would get to within three after Mookie Lester would connect on his first bucket of the game, though the Leopards would score of back-to-back possessions to continue to pace their lead heading into the second half of play. Wentworth would carry the 36-29 lead into the second half, shooting 54% from the field, including 3-4 from three-point land. WNE knocked home 13 field goals in the first half, though connected on just two three-point field goals. 

Brian Geitner would drain the Golden Bears first basket of the second half though Wentworth would go on another run, this time a 7-0 run to extend their lead to double digits at 45-32. Alex Sikorski would provide a spark for WNE after he was able to finish at the rim and took care of the next possession by grabbing steal for WNE. The Golden Bears would pull within seven off a Steevens Phelimond made three-point shot. 

Wentworth and WNE would exchange baskets down the stretch though the Leopards saw the better of the play to end the game as they would take full control, taking down the Golden Bears 84-70. The Leopards would shoot 64.5% from the field in the second half as the Leopard's Sam Swift would connect on 4-5 three-point attempts in the half, and tally 14 points total. Geitner tallied a WNE best 11 points in the second half. 

Inside the Crease:

• The Golden Bears allowed Wentworth to shoot 60% from the field, as well as collecting nine three balls in the contest. The Leopards were 9-12 from the free throw line. 
• Jake Harrison led the Golden Bears with 19 points in the contest, which was also a tie for the game high with Wentworth's Trey Carrier. Harrison shot 8-11 from the field, knocking down one three as well as both free throw attempts. 
• The Golden Bears were outrebounded 28-27 in the game. Western New England's biggest lead in the contest was two, while Wentworth touched a lead of 22 with 3:34 remaining in the contest.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears will have a quick turnaround as they return home to host Salve Regina University on Saturday, January 15 at 3:00 pm from the Alumni Healthful Living Center.
• The Leopards will also remain home with the quick turnaround time as they host Curry College, also at 3:00 pm.