BOSTON, Mass. – Leading nearly wire-to-wire, the Endicott College men's basketball team defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology, 76-41, in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Tuesday night.
With the win the Gulls improve to 10-4 overall and 3-2 in CCC play, while the Leopards see their record fall to 4-10 (2-4).
Junior Keith Brown (Pelham, N.H.) led the way for Endicott, scoring 17 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out five assists while junior Matthew Catizone (Woburn, Mass.) cane off the bench to score 16 points to go along with five rebounds and a pair of steals.
The teams traded baskets in a 20-second span early in the first half as the Gulls' senior Nick Thibeault (Gorham, Maine) scored 46 seconds into the contest, which was followed by a freshman Noah Bice (Woodacre, Calif.) basket with 18:54 left. Bice's basket would account for the lone tie of the contest.
Brown and senior Joe Shehadi (Dorset, Vt.) combined for five points which put Endicott ahead, 7-2 before sophomore Gavin Keough (Dunstable, Mass.) drained a three to make it 7-5 with 16:40 left. From there, the visitors outscored the Black & Gold by a 20-4 margin over the next 11:47 and took an 18-point (27-9) lead on a senior John Homsey (Windham, N.H.) basket. The Gulls led by as many as 21 after Brown hit a three with 2:20 remaining and carried a 35-16 lead into the locker room.
Endicott built its lead to 23 (48-25) after Catizone hit a three early in the second half before the Leopards used a quick, 6-0 run to make it 48-31 with just under 15 minutes remaining. Junior Stephen Azums (Hyde Park, Mass.) started the spurt with a layup, which was followed by a layup and two free throws from sophomore Kyle Henseler (Coventry, R.I.). The Gulls answered with a three pointer from senior Vinny Clifford (Danvers, Mass.) and a steal and transition layup from Shehadi and never looked back.
Sophomore Matt McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) added nine points, six rebounds, and five assists for the Gulls, who had a 46-37 rebounding edge.
Azums led the Leopards with 12 points (on 4-for-7 shooting) to go along with nine rebounds and three blocks. Bice finished with 11 points, while Keough added seven points.
Wentworth hosts Nichols Thursday night.
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