O'Loughlin, Berry combine for 29 points off bench

NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College men's basketball team fell to Springfield College, 83-67, on Wednesday night in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) matchup inside Emerson Gymnasium.

Wheaton featured four student-athletes in double-digits headlined by junior guard Billy Battaglia (Simsbury, Conn./Taft School) who collected 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting, three rebounds, two assists and one block. Senior guard Mike O'Loughlin (Milford, N.H./Milford) added 15 points, while sophomore center Timothy Berry (Sterling, Mass./St. Peter Marian) had 14 points and six rebounds. First-year point guard Ryan Fogarty (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) rounded out the list of double-digit scorers with 11 points, six rebounds and two assists.

Springfield senior guard Nick Sienkiewicz (Cranston, R.I./Marianapolis Prep) went a perfect 6-for-6 from the field in the first half en route to a game-high 19 points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists. Classmate Sean Martin (Rindge, N.H./Conant) contributed a double-double with 17 points and 11 assists alongside six rebounds and two steals. Junior guard Josh Downes (East Sandwich, Mass./Tabor Academy) registered 15 points, two rebounds, a pair of assists and one steal, while classmate Lary Piretra (Oakland, N.J./Gill St. Bernard's) and senior guard Josh Altman (Rockport, Mass./Rockport) combined for 23 points. Piretra also hauled in 12 rebounds to complete his first double-double of the season.

After Battaglia buried a three-pointer to give the Lyons a 3-2 advantage at the 19:08 mark of the contest, Springfield forward Tim Swenson (Milbury, Mass./Milbury) countered with a layup at the other end off of a feed from Downes and the Pride never relinquished their lead for the remainder of the game. Swenson finished the night for the visitors with four points, three rebounds and four assists.

Springfield led by as many as 19 points (37-18) with 4:57 left to go in the opening stanza before Wheaton carved its deficit down to 44-29 at the break. Berry compiled five points down the stretch, while Battaglia, O'Loughlin and senior guard Eddie Capstick (Worcester, Mass./Marianapolis Prep) notched one basket apiece. Capstick ended his night for the Lyons with seven points, two assists, one steal and a single rebound.

In the second half, Wheaton brought the game within single digits at 48-39 (nine points) with 15:58 on the scoreboard going on a 10-4 run sparked by Berry and O'Loughlin who both tallied five points during the spurt.

The Pride responded with a 19-9 run to close out the contest and match their highest advantage in the game as well. Martin and Sinekiewicz both manufactured seven points during the run, while junior guard Alex Garstka (Westfield, Mass./Westfield) converted an old-fashioned three-point play at the 9:03 mark and Downes put home a layup with 7:53 to go in the contest.

Springfield shot 56.4-percent (31-for-55) from the floor – the Pride's highest percentage in 14 games this season – and also went 46.7-percent (7-for-15) from long range and 87.5-percent (14-for-16) at the free throw line. The visitors held an 18-12 differential in points off turnovers, a 38-28 margin in points in the paint and a 12-10 advantage in fast break points.

The Lyons posted a 41.9 field goal percentage, 47.1 three-point field goal percentage and a 77.8 free throw percentage. The Blue and White also had a 14-8 margin in second chance points and a 29-16 advantage in bench points.

Wheaton (3-9, 0-3 NEWMAC) travels to Babson College on Saturday for a NEWMAC clash schedule to tip-off at 2 p.m. Springfield (9-5, 1-2 NEWMAC) visits MIT this Saturday in a conference matchup slated for 3 p.m.

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