WENHAM, Mass. – For the second season in a row Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team faced Gordon College in the semifinal round of the Commonwealth Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament and for the second straight season, the Fighting Scots earn a trip to the conference championship after defeating the Leopards, 66-55.
With the win third-seeded Gordon improves to 16-10 and will travel to top-seeded Nichols (22-5), an 83-80 (overtime) winner over fourth-seeded Salve Regina while seventh-seeded Wentworth ends its season at 12-15.
The Fighting Scots were led by Jason Dempsey (Wallingford, Conn.), who had a season-high 18 points in the win.
Gordon took a 14-5 lead 6:14 into the contest after Hans Miersma (Whitinsville, Mass.) and Dempsey combined for 10 points and extended its lead to 17-5 when Alex Carnes (Phoenix, Ariz.) drained a 3-pointer. A 3-pointer from freshman Jherson Colon (Boston, Mass.) and basket by senior Derek Mayo (Casco, Maine) cut the lead to 17-10, the Fighting Scots used an 8-1 lead to push their lead to 25-11.
The Leopards used a 9-4 spurt to close the gap to 29-20 after sophomore Cam Sennick (Wilton, Maine) hit a jumper, but Taylor Bajema's (Whitinsville, Mass.) layup with four seconds left gave the hosts an 11-point lead at the break.
Gordon opened its lead to 49-29 with just over 10 minutes left in regulation, however a pair of 3-pointers from senior Scott Moran (Orange, Conn.) helped key a 16-6 Leopard run which cut the lead in half (55-45) with 4:33 left. However, that would be as close as the Black & Gold would get as Gordon used an 8-3 spurt to increase the lead to 15 with 1:23 left.
In addition to Dempsey, Miersma had eight points, 11 rebounds, and a pair of blocks which set the program's single-season mark for blocked shots. Park Thomas (Scottsdale, Ariz.) had a dozen points, including eclipsing the 1,000-point mark for his career, and added seven assists.
Colon led all scorers with 20 points while Mayo added 10 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, and five steals to close out his collegiate career The Leopards were held to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor and were beaten on the glass by a 41-26 margin.
March 3, 2014
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