BOSTON, Mass. – Senior Gavin Dibble (Greenport, N.Y.) came off the bench to score 16 points, including hitting a pair of free throws with 4.2 seconds left to seal the win as the University of New England men's basketball team held off Wentworth Institute of Technology, 82-80, in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Tuesday evening.
With the win the Nor'Easters improve to 10-12 overall and 8-7 in CCC play while the Leopards fall to 13-9 (9-6).
UNE scored the first seven points of the game, which included a three-point play from sophomore Jackson McCoy (East Montpelier, Vt.), a layup from freshman Alex Kravchuk (Mansfield, Conn.), and a layup from senior Ryan Matthews (Park Ridge, N.J.). Wentworth countered with the next seven points, tying the game on a jumper from sophomore Ellis Christmas (Elmsford, N.Y.).
The Nor'Easters used a used a 17-7 run to take a 24-14 lead at the midway point of the half and extended their lead to 12 on a three pointer from sophomore Avery Debrito (New Bedford, Mass.). A layup from senior Michael Boaheng (Worcester, Mass.) and three free throws brought the lead down to single digits (27-20) with 8:04 remaining. Junior Daron Hoges, Jr. (West Orange, N.J.) hit a three after Kravchuk hit one of two free throws to make it 31-20 before the Black & Gold used a 17-0 run over the next six minutes to take a 37-31 lead after Boaheng hit a layup with 1:46 remaining. During the run, sophomore Stephen Azums (Hyde Park, Mass.) had six points, senior Jason Ganley (Northbridge, Mass.) had five, and Boaheng had four. Dibble ended the run by hitting a pair of free throws, however, senior Ben Kizel (Short Hills, N.J.) countered with a layup on the next possession, making it 39-33 with 1:11 left. Senior Drew Coveney (Londonderry, N.H.) hit one of two free throws with 17 seconds remaining to make it 39-34 at the break.
Wentworth took a 46-41 lead with just under 17 minutes remaining on a layup from senor Cesar Fulcar (Watertown, Mass.) before the Nor'Easters used a 12-4 run over the next 3:27 to lead, 53-50, after a layup from freshman Andrew Marcelino (Methuen, Mass.). Wentworth regained the lead, 57-55, after Azums hit a pair of free throws. UNE used back-to-back three from freshman Matt Hobbs (Anchorage, Alaska) and Coveney to pull ahead 61-57 before Ganley's transition layup made it a two-point game with just under 12 minutes remaining.
Neither team scored a point for the next 2:07 before Fulcar broke the drought with a jumper, tying the game at 61-all. One of two free throws from freshman Jacob Hickey (Winthrop, Maine) gave the visitors the lead back and UNE held a six-point lead (69-63) after Dibble hit a three. Using an 8-2 run, Wentworth evened the score at 71-all when Kizel hit a three with 3:27 left. After McCoy hit a layup and senior Sam Knollmeyer (Hampton, N.H.) drained a pair of free throws to tie the game at 73-all, Dibble hit a three with 2:29 left.
The Leopards pulled within a single point twice, including on a Knollmeyer layup with 44 seconds left, but, with the shot clock winding down, Hoges, Jr. hit a fade away jumper in the paint to give UNE an 80-77 lead. On Wentworth's ensuing possession a game tying, three-point attempt was missed and Dibble hit two free throws to make it a five-point game. Ganley hit a three from the top of the key with just under two seconds left to cut the lead to two, however, the Black & Gold was unable to get a turnover on the inbounds pass.
Dibble finished the night 5-for-7 from the floor and also grabbed six rebounds, McCoy had 12 points in 5-for-9 shooting, while Hoges, Jr., was 4-for-7 from the floor for a 10-point night to go along with five rebounds.
Ganley had a game-high 22 points, while Azums had a double-double with 18 points and 19 rebounds. Kizel finished with 16 points and four assists.
Both teams are in action on Saturday as Wentworth is at Endicott and UNE hosts Salve Regina.
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