Men's Basketball Falls in Close Matchup With Gordon

WENHAM, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team fell in the final moments as Gordon College won a tightly contested 61-58 matchup Saturday afternoon.
 
RECORDS 

• Wentworth 2-4 (0-2 CCC)
• GC 2-1 (1-1 CCC)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• Points Leader: Kevin Fernandez (18) 
• Rebounds Leader: Trey Carrier (11) 
• Assists Leader: Jack Schaake (2) 
• Steals Leader: Kevin Fernandez (3) 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The Leopards started off hot in the first half. Senior forward Trey Carrier (Wilton, N.H.) converted an and-one to get the scoring started, and senior guard Kevin Fernandez (Lawrence, Mass.) hit three pointers on back-to-back possessions and followed with a layup to help Wentworth take an 11-2 lead. Gordon then scored six straight points, including four from David Massilon to get within three points, but sophomore guard Sam Goy (Derry, N.H.) hit a three pointer that started a 9-0 run for the visitors.
• Goy hit another shot from beyond the arc with seven minutes remaining in the first half to push Wentworth's lead to 25-11, but Gordon then scored 10 straight points of their own to close the gap to four points. After getting the lead back up to six, Fernandez hit a three pointer in the final minute to give the Leopards a 33-26 advantage going into the break.
• A pair of early baskets got the Fighting Scots within three points, but a jumper by junior forward Jack Schaake (Hampton, N.H.) and a pair of baskets by Carrier helped Wentworth keep the lead. Gordon made back-to-back three pointers to take their first lead of the game with just under 13 minutes remaining, followed by a 7-2 run from the Leopards, with Fernandez providing five of the points as Wentworth took a 46-42 lead.
• Junior guard Sam Swift (Arlington, Mass.) and freshman forward Tyler Stewart (East Taunton, Mass.) made a pair of layups to extend the lead to six for the visitors, but a jumper followed by a three pointer for Gordon got them within a point with eight minutes to go. After Swift drained a three, six straight points for the Fighting Scots gave them a two point advantage with 4:33 to play. Swift responded with another three for Wentworth, followed by another basket from Carrier as the teams went back and forth. After a pair of made free throws for Gordon, the Fighting Scots' Michael Makiej made a layup with 52 seconds remaining. After Wentworth missed the go-ahead shot and Gordon made two more free throws, a three point attempt in the final seconds to tie the game was blocked as Gordon held on for a 61-58 win.

THE SERIES 

• This was the 63^rd time the two teams have met, with Gordon now holding a 40-23 lead in the all-time series.

NEXT 

• The Leopards return to the court Wednesday evening, when they host Nichols College at 7:30 p.m.