UMass Dartmouth Outlasts Men's Basketball in Overtime

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Despite a double-double from junior Tyler Stewart (East Taunton, Mass.), featuring 27 points and 17 rebounds, the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team (5-4) couldn't outlast UMass Dartmouth (4-5) as the Corsairs grabbed a narrow 83-80 victory in overtime in Saturday's non-conference USJ Holiday Tournament contest.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Five points by senior Isaac Perry (Pittsfield, Mass.) gave the Corsairs an initial 5-0 advantage before four points for the Leopards, including two on a dunk by senior Sam Goy (Derry, N.H.) cut the deficit to one. The two teams traded points, working the score to 11-8, until three points from Goy knotted things at 11-all.
• UMass Dartmouth rattled off ten straight, with eight including two three-pointers by sophomore Nic Boyd (Portland, Ore.), to take a 21-11 lead. Six points by Stewart and a three-pointer by junior Nathaniel Smith (Beacon Falls, Conn.) brought the Leopards within one at 21-20 before two points apiece by Stewart and Smith later gave Wentworth a 24-23 edge.
• A three by Goy later pushed Wentworth's lead to 27-25 before a Perry layup helped give the Corsairs a 29-27 lead. After the Leopards tied the score at 29-29, a three by graduate student Jackson Zancan (Cumberland, R.I.) gave UMass Dartmouth a 32-29 advantage at the break.
• Perry and sophomore Josh Lopes (Taunton, Mass.) helped the Corsairs extend their lead to 36-31 in the second half before a three pointer by sophomore Nathan Brinkman (Trumbull, Conn.) dwindled the lead to two at 36-34. The two teams again traded points, with a Jackson two giving UMass Dartmouth a 40-37 lead before a three by junior Jack Connell (Walpole, Conn.) knotted the score at 40 apiece. The Corsairs outscored Wentworth 11-5 to take a 51-45 advantage before 10 points by Stewart pushed the Leopards to later regain the lead at 54-53.
• A Brinkman three continued the Leopards' lead to 57-55 before five straight points after a Corsairs' three raised the score to 62-58. Three points from Lopes after two from Perry gave UMass Dartmouth a 63-62 edge before a Stewart layup was followed by a three from Jackson, marking a 66-64 score. Another three from Brinkman gave Wentworth a 67-66 lead before the Leopards continued their lead to 72-68. A layup by Stewart with 18 seconds left gave Wentworth a 75-73 lead before a Lopes' layup with two seconds on the clock knotted the score, forcing overtime.
• The two teams traded scores in overtime, with the Leopards taking an 80-78 advantage on a Brinkman three. Two layups by Lopes gave UMass Dartmouth an 82-80 lead with 26 seconds to go, with the Corsairs adding a free throw to take an 83-80 contest. Stewart led all scorers with 27 points (11-15 FG) and added 17 boards, three blocks, and two steals. Goy and Brinkman chipped in with 17 and 16 points apiece, respectively, while Perry led the Corsairs with 22 points.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards play an opponent to be determined in the second half of the USJ Holiday Tournament tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.

For the latest on Wentworth Athletics, follow the Leopards via social media on "X," Facebook and Instagram.