BOSTON, Mass. (1/6/18) – Despite a 17-point performance from sophomore Stephen Azums (Hyde Park, Mass.), the Wentworth men's basketball team suffered a 76-56 defeat to Endicott College in Commonwealth Coast Conference action inside the Tansey on Saturday afternoon.
The deficit snaps the Leopards' six-game win streak dating back to November 29 and they suffer their first conference loss this season, falling to 8-3 overall and 3-1 in league play, while the Gulls improve to 8-3 this season and 3-1 against league opponents.
Wentworth used six points from senior Jason Ganley (Northbridge, Mass.) to jump out to a 7-0 lead within the opening minutes of the first half. Sophomore Matt Vartanian (Salem, N.H.) kept Wentworth's seven-point cushion (13-6), with a layup at 16:08, before the Gulls staged a 10-4 run to pull within a single point. A deep three from Endicott sophomore Matthew Catizone (Woburn, Mass.) nearly put the Gulls on top, before freshman Matt McDevitt (Cumberland, R.I.) returned the favor and gave the visitors their first lead of the game, 19-17.
With 17:34 to go in the first half, Vartanian sunk two at the line to shrink the visitor lead by one, 22-21. The Gulls used a 19-7 run to end the half, with four points coming from freshman Jordan Pettway (Bridgeport, Conn.) and junior Joe Shehadi (Dorset, Vt.), respectively, along the stretch.
Endicott carried its double-digit lead throughout the remainder of the contest, as Pettway put the visitors up by 20 with 14:05 to go. Junior Vinny Clifford (Danvers, Mass.) gave the Gulls their largest lead of the game with 8:29 left, 69-44.
Azums finished with 10 rebounds next to his 17 points for his sixth double-double of the season, while Ganley scored 12 points to round out double-digit scoring for the Leopards. Vartanian contributed nine points and pulled down seven rebounds.
Three Gulls scored in double figures, led by McDevitt with 14 points. Sophomore Keith Brown (Pelham, N.H.) and Nick Thibeault (Gorham, Maine) scored 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Thibeault also had nine rebounds.
Wentworth returns to home action on Tuesday, January 9 for a 7:30 p.m. contest against Gordon College, while Endicott welcomes Western New England University on the same night.
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