Men's Basketball Storms Past UNE

BIDDEFORD, Maine – Four student-athletes scored in double figures, including Jack Connell, who recorded a game-high 22 points to go along with seven assists as the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team scored a season-high 89 points in an 89-73 win over the University of New England in Conference of New England play Wednesday night.

With the win, Wentworth picked up its third straight triumph, improving to 5-11 overall and 4-5 in CNE play, while the Nor'Easters fall to 5-11 (3-6). The win was the 139th of head coach Arlen Galloway's career, tying him for the most career wins by a Wentworth men's basketball coach.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Trailing, 5-4, early in the contes, Wentworth went on an 8-0 run, taking a 12-5 lead after Nathaniel Smith dropped a three with 14:49 left in the half. UNE countered with a 9-2 run of its own, tying the game at 14-all on an Adrian Torres jumper. After Connell gave the Leopards a 17-14 lead with a three, the Nor'Easters used a 13-4 run and grabbed a 27-21 lead on a three pointer from Henry Stewart.
• UNE increased its lead to 13 (35-23) with 6:02 left, however, a 20-4 run by the Black & Gold to close out the half put the visitors on top by a pair. During the run, Tyler Stewart scored seven points, while Connell added a pair of threes, including one that gave Wentworth a 45-42 lead with 53 seconds left.
• Zach Federico hit one of two free throws early in the second half , bringing the lead down to one before Connell and Nathan Brinkman nailed back-to-back shots from behind the arc, which put the Leopards on top, 51-44. Connell's three started a 14-4 run which saw Stewart hit a second-chance shot, giving the Black & Gold a 59-48 lead.
• A 7-0 spurt by the Nor'Easters pulled the hosts within four after Zach Boulay made a layup, however a three-point play by Connell gave Wentworth a 62-55 lead with 13:12 left. A three-point play by Stewart increased the Leopards' lead to 13 (70-57) with 9:20 left before a 7-1 run by UNE made it 71-64, two minutes later.
• Jayden Williams hit a three to start an 18-6 run, which saw Wentworth pull away, leading by as many as 18 points late in the contest.
• In addition to Connell's 22 points, Stewart recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds and fell two assists shy of his second career triple-double. Brinkman chipped in with 16 points; 12 of which came from behind the arc. Russell Dolabany contributed 12 on 5-of-8 shooting. The Black & Gold had a 41-32 rebounding advantage.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• Tonight marked the 50th all-time meeting between the two teams. Winners of six in a row, Wentworth owns a 34-16 all-time series record.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth is at Western New England on Saturday.

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