HARTFORD, Conn. – Paced by four players who scored in double figures, the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team posted its largest margin of victory this season as the Leopards downed the University of Maine at Fort Kent, 76-48, in the third place game at the Trinity College Holiday Classic.
Wentworth (4-5) scored the first seven points of the game and never looked back as junior Nico Donato (Glastonbury, Conn.) had five points and senior Scott Moran (Orange, Conn.) added a pair. The Bengals (3-8) would eventually cut the lead to 10-9 when freshman David Martinez (Valencia, Spain) hit one of two free throws with 14:26 left, but the Leopards scored the next six points to take a 16-9 lead with 12:32 remaining.
A 3-pointer by sophomore Mauro Vicic (Kanfanar, Croatia) would bring UMFK within four before the Black & Gold used a 10-2 run to up the lead to a dozen with just over seven minutes left. Sophomore Fred Sanchez (Bronx, N.Y.) helped whittle the lead to single digits with a basket with 3:20 left before sophomore Tim Juitt (Ashland, Mass.) hit a jumper late in the half to give the Leopards an 11-point (31-20) halftime edge.
Juitt's basket started an 11-0 run that went into the second half as Wentworth's lead swelled to as many as 20 on a sophomore Ronnie Turner (Lewiston, Maine) layup.
Holding a 20-point lead with just under 11 minutes left, the Leopards went on a 17-3 run over the next four minutes and took their largest lead (34) when Donato drained a shot from behind the arc with 6:57 left.
Moran led the Leopards with 15 points (on 7-for-11 shooting) to go along with five steals. Senior Derek Mayo (Casco, Maine) had 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, Donato added 11, and junior Ray Bessette (Dedham, Maine) came off the bench to score 10. As a team the Black & Gold shot just under 51 percent from the floor and held a 36-18 rebounding edge.
Wentworth resumes Commonwealth Coast Conference play on Saturday when the Leopards travel to Gordon.
WENTWORTH 76, MAINE-FORT KENT 48
WENTWORTH (4-5)
Scott Moran 7-11 0-0 15; Derek Mayo 3-11 6-8 14; Nico Donato 5-8 1-1 13; Ray Bessette 3-5 2-2 10; Ronnie Turner 3-3 0-0 7; Cam Sennick 2-2 0-0 4; Shawn Ricker 2-3 0-0 4; Tim Juitt 2-4 0-0 4; Eric Mirante 1-1 0-0 3; John-Michael Fragnoli 0-2 2-4 2; Leland Alexander 0-0 0-0 0; Dan DeVaux 0-0 0-0 0; Brian O'Neill 0-1 0-0 0; Ian Therriault 0-4 0-2 0; Jherson Colon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-55 11-17 76.
MAINE-FORT KENT (3-8)
Mike McClung 5-11 3-4 14; Jorge Matesanz 3-4 0-0 8; Fred Sanchez 1-6 6-6 8; Mauro Vicic 2-6 1-1 6; James Givens 0-3 4-6 4; Abdi Hussein 1-1 0-0 3; Nikola Vokosavovic 1-4 0-0 2; Jeremy Bishop 1-3 0-0 2; David Martinez 0-1 1-2 1; Jared Hafford 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-39 15-19 48.
Wentworth..................... 31 45 - 76
Maine-Fort Kent............... 20 28 - 48
3-point goals--Wentworth 9-22 (Nico Donato 2-4; Derek Mayo 2-3; Ray Bessette 2-3; Eric Mirante 1-1; Scott Moran 1-5; Ronnie Turner 1-1; Ian Therriault 0-3; Tim Juitt 0-2), Maine-Fort Kent 5-9 (Jorge Matesanz 2-2; Mauro Vicic 1-1; Abdi Hussein 1-1; Mike McClung 1-1; James Givens 0-2; Fred Sanchez 0-2). Fouled out--Wentworth-None, Maine-Fort Kent-None. Rebounds—Wentworth 36 (Derek Mayo 8), Maine-Fort Kent 18 (David Martinez 4). Assists—Wentworth 21 (Derek Mayo 7), Maine-Fort Kent 10 (Mauro Vicic 3). Total fouls--Wentworth 17, Maine-Fort Kent 10. Technical fouls--Wentworth-None, Maine-Fort Kent-Nikola Vokosavovic.
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Colon Named CCC Rookie of the Week
February 27, 2014
Men's Basketball Falls to Gordon in CCC Semifinals
February 25, 2014
Mayo, Colon Named All-Commonwealth Coast Conference
February 25, 2014
Men's Basketball Pulls off Upset at Eastern Nazarene
February 22, 2014
Men's Basketball Edged in Regular-Season Finale
February 22, 2014
CCC Men's Basketball Tournament Pairings Set
February 19, 2014
Strong Second Half Powers Endicott Past Men's Basketball
February 15, 2014
Men's Basketball Edged at Roger Williams
February 12, 2014
Donato's Buzzer Beater Lifts Men's Basketball Past Western New England
February 8, 2014
Men's Basketball Suffers Setback at Eastern Nazarene
February 4, 2014
Men's Basketball Cruises to 10th Win of the Season
February 1, 2014
Second Half Run Pushes Gordon Past Men's Basketball
January 29, 2014
Men's Basketball Sees Three-Game Skid Come to and End
January 23, 2014
Endicott Works Overtime to Defeat Men's Basketball
January 20, 2014
Colon Repeats as Rookie of the Week
January 18, 2014
Men's Basketball Falls at Nichols
January 15, 2014
Men's Basketball Holds on For Win
January 13, 2014
Colon Earns CCC Rookie of the Week Honors
January 11, 2014
Men's Basketball Rallies Past Roger Williams
January 9, 2014
Men's Basketball Win Streak Halted by Eastern Nazarene
January 7, 2014
Long-Range Shooting Helps Men's Basketball Win Third Straight
January 4, 2014
Strong Defensive Effort Lifts Men's Basketball to Win at Gordon
December 31, 2013
Men's Basketball Rolls to Win Over Maine-Fort Kent
December 30, 2013
Vassar Fends Off Men's Basketball
December 9, 2013
Colon Earns CCC Rookie Rookie of the Week Honors
December 7, 2013
Balanced Attack Paces Men's Basketball to Win over Curry
December 4, 2013
Men's Basketball Falls in Conference Opener
November 26, 2013
Men's Basketball Pulls Away in Second Half
November 25, 2013
Turner Named CCC Men's Basketball Rookie of the Week
November 23, 2013
Tufts Rallies in Second Half to Defeat Men's Basketball
November 21, 2013
Clark Overtakes Men's Basketball in Second Half
November 16, 2013
Late Run Pushes Framingham State Past Men's Basketball
November 15, 2013
Men's Basketball Opens Season With a Win
November 15, 2013
Men's Basketball Picked to Finish Seventh in CCC Pre-Season Poll
October 19, 2013
Five Inducted Into Athletic Hall of Fame
July 23, 2013
Arlen Galloway Named Head Men's Basketball Coach