Harrison's Triple-Double Leads WNE to 3-0 in CCC Play

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (December 6, 2022) – Western New England's Men's Basketball faced the Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards on their home court and took another CCC win 66-50 over the Leopards.

Records:

• Western New England: 6-2, 3-0 CCC
• Wentworth: 2-4, 1-2 CCC

How It Happened: The Golden Bears opened the game with a steal and a quick layup put in by Gavin Greene. The Leopards tied the game up twice right after WNE baskets. Andrew Byfield and Jake Harrison gave WNE a five-point lead, and a jumper and a foul shot brought Wentworth within two. Harrison knocked in some shots for the Golden Bears to lead 14-9 until under 10 minutes in the first half. The Leopards evened the score off a three pointer, and Geitner answered with one of his own to re-gain the leading score. Byfield and Greene added four more and the Golden Bears kept Wentworth off the scoreboard for two minutes. They eventually shot in some free-throws and another three made it a one-possession game. Geitner and Harrison went for back-to-back threes, WNE had an 11-point lead, 29-18. A foul shot from Harrison made it 12, but an under a minute three-pointer by the Leopards closed that gap, and then Cody Palazzeli was fouled on a made bucket, plus one on the foul line. In the last three seconds Wentworth hit a jumper for the score at halftime to be 35-25, Golden Bears.

A three from Wentworth started off the scoring in the second half. Harrison went for two from the line and Geitner hit another jumper, back to an 11-point lead. The Leopards kept fighting back. They went for two from the line and then shot in a three to make it just a six-point game, 39-33 Golden Bears. A layup from Geitner and two from Restall, back up to a double-digit lead. WNE kept the Leopards off the scoreboard for another two minutes, and Geitner swooshed in another three, 48-35. They held a 10+ lead until just over 10 minutes left in the game. Wentworth put in a layup to bring their deficit to eight, 50-42. It didn't take long for the Golden Bears to take complete control over the game after that. Nate Kasper and Greene made some shots at the rim, Restall made a three, and Geitner had one on the line. The Leopards did not see a shot drop until the seven-minute mark, and the Golden Bears almost led by 20, the held a 16-point lead while fouls and shots on the line played out until time expired. The Golden Bears won 66-50 over the Leopards and remain undefeated in the CCC.

In the Paint:

• As a team, the Golden Bears shot 41.7 percent from the floor, 22.7 percent from the three, and 64.7 percent from the foul line while gathering 39 rebounds, 17 assists, five steals and three blocks.
• The Leopards shot 29.8 percent from the hardwood, 27.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 66.7 percent from the free throw line while tallying 35 rebounds, 9 assists, two steals, and one block.
• The Golden Bears were led by Jake Harrison who recorded a triple double with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. He went 5-9 from inside the paint, 1-2 from the three, and 5-7 from the free-throw line.  
• Brian Geitner also added 16 points and Tim Restall grabbed seven boards.

Up Next: The Golden Bears are back on their home court again this Saturday, December 10, to battle it out with the Trinity College Bantams at 2 p.m.