BIDDEFORD, Maine – The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's basketball team was defeated, 66-63, by host University of New England this afternoon in the Championship game of the Jim Beaudry Classic hosted by UNE at Coach Beaudry's Court in Biddeford, Maine.
The Lyons dip to 1-1 on the season, while the Nor'Easters improve to 2-1.
Neither team shot the ball well in the game with Wheaton owning a 34.8% (23-66) field goal mark, while University of New England hit on just 31.7% (19-60) of their attempts, including 23.5% (4-17) from three-point range. UNE was able to make hay at the free throw line, however, sinking 24 of 31 attempts for a 77.4% success clip. The Lyons made just 8-18 (44.4%) from the charity stripe to spell the difference in the game.
Sophomore forward Eoin Morrissey (Watertown, Mass.) posted his first collegiate double-double with a career-high 14 points on 5-10 shooting to go with 10 rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocks to lead Wheaton. He was named to the All-Tournament Team along with first year guard Markus Nordin (Wenham, Mass.), who netted 18 points vs. Eastern Connecticut State University in last night's opening round game. First year guard Dimetri Iafrate (Johnston, R.I.) netted 11 points today on 4-8 from the floor and added five boards, four steals, two assists and a blocked shot, while senior guard Jaden Keliher (Amesbury, Mass.) chipped in with nine points on 4-5 shooting in addition to three rebounds and two assists.
Junior forward Adam Lux (Arundel, Maine) led UNE with 16 points, including 8-11 from the free throw line to go with 16 rebounds, two blocks, a steal and an assist and sophomore guard Jayden Thornton (Lynn, Mass.) dropped in 15 points, pulled down four rebounds and handed out an assist. Sophomore guard Adrian Torres (Dracut, Ill.) contributed with 12 points, five rebounds, five steals and a blocked shot.
Sophomore guard Sal Pedevillano (Parsippany, N.J.) knocked down a jumper with 8:08 to play in the game to give the Lyons a 49-44 lead to match their biggest margin of the day. The Nor'Easters put together a 13-3 stretch, including six points from first year guard Dylan Crowley (Beverly, Mass.) to take the lead for good at 57-52 with 4:27 remaining in the contest. Keliher made a layup to pull Wheaton to within 58-56 at the 2:28 mark and junior forward Duncan Bubar (Newton, Mass.) drilled a three-pointer with 17 ticks left on the clock to bring the Lyons to within a possession at 66-63, but they were the final points of the contest.
Iafrate sank a triple early in the opening half to give Wheaton an 8-7 edge with 14:52 to play in the period. UNE ripped off the next nine points to take its largest lead of the game at 16-8 with 11:29 left in the half.
The Nor'Easters later maintained a 25-17 advantage at the 4:12 mark, before the Lyons roared back to close out the stanza with 10 unanswered points over the final 3:31, including four from Morrissey to take a 27-25 halftime lead.
Sophomore guard Chris Billone (Windham, N.H.) canned a trifecta with 17:36 to go in the second session to keep Wheaton's lead at two (31-29). University of New England scored the next seven points to take a 36-31 lead with 16:02 showing in the second half, but the Lyons answered the bell with an 11-3 run, fueled by four points each from Iafrate and Pedevillano, to take a 42-39 margin at 11:07.
Thornton knotted the score at 42-42 with a three ball for the home team with 10:20 to play in the game, before junior forward Tarmo Tari (Chelmsford, Mass.) came off the bench to drain a three-pointer and Morrissey converted a layup to give Wheaton a 47-42 cushion. Pedevillano stuck a jumper just over a minute later to maintain a five-point lead for the visitors at 49-44 with 8:08 showing on the second half clock, before UNE put together its big run to take the lead for good.
The Lyons return to the court on Wednesday, November 15 when they travel to Hartford, Conn. to take on Trinity College at 7:00 p.m., while the Nor'Easters host University of Maine Farmington on the same night at 7:30 p.m.
