BIDDEFORD, Maine – Senior Kyle Romich (Groton, Mass.) drained a 17-foot jumper with 3.8 seconds remaining to snap a 57-all tie as the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team defeated the University of New England, 59-57, in the Commonwealth Coast Conference opener for both squads.
With the win the Leopards snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 2-3 on the season while the Nor'Easters fall to 5-3.
Romich, who finished with a career-high 26 points, missed a chance to give the Leopards the lead with 32 seconds left, however senior Ian Therriault (Lewiston, Maine) gained possession of the rebound, which allowed the Black & Gold to reset and set Romich up for the game winner.
UNE had tied the game on a pair of CJ Autry (Standish, Maine) free throws with 53 seconds left. The Nor'Easters chance to tie the game at the buzzer went off mark.
Wentworth, which used a pair of 9-0 runs in the first half to build and maintain a double-digit lead, led by as many as 16 early in the second half before the Nor'Easters used a 14-2 run over a five-minute span to trim the deficit to four and trailed by three with 8:31 left, however could not get over the hump.
Romich, who scored seven of his team's last eight, made it 56-51 with 2:16 to go. Two freebies by Autry and one for Romich left Wentworth up four (57-53), until Autry found Matt Lettick (Orange, Conn.) for a straightaway jumper to close the gap to 57-55 with 55 seconds left. After a timeout, Autry stole the inbounds pass and was fouled in the process, setting up the opportunity to level the contest at the charity stripe.
Romich drained 5-of-8 from downtown in the contest, and collected eight rebounds. Sophomore Jason Ganley (Northbridge, Mass.) added 13 points and six boards. Therriault finished with a game-best nine caroms, helping the visitors to a 48-33 edge on the glass. Wentworth totaled 18 offensive rebounds -- the 10 in the 2nd period were converted into nine of the squad's 23 points in the frame.
The Nor'Easters were paced by 15 points and six rebounds from Autry, who tallied 12 points in the closing stanza with a 6-for-6 effort at the line. Lettick chipped in with 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Devin Thompson (Winthrop, Mass.) had seven points, five rebounds, and four steals, and Sam Thomas (Bedford, N.H.) registered seven points and three blocks. Drew Coveney (Londonderry, N.H.) dished out six assists.
Wentworth has its home opener on Saturday when the Leopards entertain Nichols at 3:00. UNE is slated to visit Western New England University at the same time.
August 20, 2016
Romich, McLaughlin Earn Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards
August 1, 2016
Romich Earns Spot on NABC Honors Court
February 23, 2016
Men's Basketball Upset by UNE in CCC Quarterfinals
February 22, 2016
Romich Notches Third Player of the Week Honor
February 22, 2016
Romich, Ganley, Galloway Take Home CCC Honors
February 21, 2016
Men's Basketball Set to Host UNE in CCC Quarterfinals
February 20, 2016
Men's Basketball Downs Roger Williams, Earns Number Two Seed
February 16, 2016
Ganley's Heroics Lift Men's Basketball Past Endicott
February 13, 2016
Men's Basketball Sneaks Past Salve Regina
February 11, 2016
Academic All-District Honors Bestowed on Romich
February 10, 2016
Romich's Late Basket Lifts Men's Basketball Past Gordon
February 6, 2016
Eastern Nazarene Fends Off Late Men's Basketball Rally
February 2, 2016
Men's Basketball Streak Snapped by Western New England
January 30, 2016
Men's Basketball Rolls Past Curry for Second Straight Win
January 27, 2016
D3Hoops.com, ECAC Honor Ganley With Weekly Honors
January 27, 2016
Men's Basketball Cruises Past UNE
January 25, 2016
Ganley Named CCC Player of the Week
January 23, 2016
Strong Second Half Lifts Nichols Past Men's Basketball
January 18, 2016
Romich Earns CCC Player of the Week Honors
January 16, 2016
DeVaux's Hot Shooting Helps Men's Basketball to Second Straight Win
January 14, 2016
Men's Basketball Fends Off Late Endicott Charge
January 9, 2016
Fast Start Helps Roger Williams Get Past Men's Basketball
January 7, 2016
Strong Second Half Lifts Men's Basketball Past Eastern Nazarene
January 5, 2016
Men's Basketball Gets Back on Winning Track
December 30, 2015
Worcester State Pulls Away From Men's Basketball
December 29, 2015
Men's Basketball Outlasted by Clark
December 12, 2015
Balanced Attack Lifts Men's Basketball to Second Straight Win
December 8, 2015
Men's Basketball Rallies Past Curry
December 7, 2015
Romich Named CCC Player of the Week
December 5, 2015
Nichols Holds on to Defeat Men's Basketball
November 21, 2015
Strong First Half Pushes Tufts Past Men's Basketball
November 17, 2015
Men's Basketball Falls at Northeastern
November 14, 2015
Romich, Knollmeyer Pace Men's Basketball Past Emmanuel
November 13, 2015
Men's Basketball Picked Fourth in CCC Preseason Poll
November 13, 2015
Men's Basketball Edged in Season Opener
September 23, 2015
Men's Basketball Completes Schedule With Game at Northeastern