BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Jack Connell's (Walpole, Mass.) career-high 30 points and sophomore Tyler Stewart's (East Taunton, Mass.) career-high 26 points led the charge for the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team, who came up just short of victory to the Panthers of Plymouth State by a 75-72 score Saturday afternoon.

RECORDS:

• Wentworth: 1-2
• Plymouth State: 5-1

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

LEADING SCORERS:   Jack Connell, 30; Tyler Stewart, 26; Jack Schaake, 5
LEADING REBOUNDERS:  Schaake, 8; Thomas Hacker, 7; Stewart, 6
ASSIST LEADERS:   Hacker, Connell, 5

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The game started as a back-and-forth scoring affair with the score traveling up to 8-6 Leopards just under five minutes in. A three-pointer from sophomore Elijah Swanson (Meredith, N.H.) put the visitors ahead 9-8. Plymouth State went on an 11-0 run following the three-pointer to put them ahead 20-8 with eight minutes remaining in the half.
• Wentworth battled back to a 22-22 tie with the help of six points from Stewart, five points from Connell, and three points from senior Sam Swift (Arlington, Mass.). The two teams stayed neck-and-neck with the score at 31 apiece until a three-pointer from junior Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) put the Panthers ahead 34-31 at the half.
• Stewart began a 6-0 run for the Leopards in the second half. Senior Jack Schaake (Hampton, N.H.) and Connell contributed with points on the run. The Panthers took their lead back and extended it to a 47-39 score.
• A three-pointer from freshman Nathan Brinkman (Trumbull, Conn.) started another Leopards' comeback. The Leopards narrowed the gap to 47-46 until the Panthers extended their lead to 56-46.
• Ahead 71-65, the Panthers surrendered two clutch three-pointers to Connell but got two points from Bosse in between them to bring the score to 73-71.
• Stewart made one of two free throws to bring the score to 73-72. Two successful free throws from Bosse in the waning seconds of the game brought the final score to 75-72.
• Connell finished the game topping his previous career-high in points set last game with 30 today while Stewart topped his previous career-high in points set in the Leopards' first game of the season with 26 points today.

SERIES NOTES:

• Today marked the second time the two teams have met. Plymouth State has won both matchups.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth is back in action on Wednesday, November 30 (7:30 pm) when they host Curry in their first Commonwealth Coast Conference matchup this season.

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