NEWPORT, R.I. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's basketball team defeated host Salve Regina University, 62-57, this evening in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Rodgers Recreation Center in Newport, R.I.
The Lyons improve to 6-7 overall and 1-3 in league play, while the Seahawks fall to 5-9 and 2-3.
Wheaton shot 39.3% (24-61) from the field, including 9-29 (31%) from three-point range, while holding Salve Regina to just 33.9 (21-62). The Seahawks owned a 48-40 rebounding advantage, including 18 offensive rebounds that helped them stay in the game with an 18-4 second-chance point margin over their guests.
The Lyons received a balanced offensive output with a career-high 14 points on 5-7 shooting from first year guard Sean Perri (West Roxbury, Mass.), including 4-6 from three-point territory to go with two rebounds and a pair of assists in 22 minutes off the bench. Junior forward Eoin Morrissey (Watertown, Mass.) contributed with 13 points, six rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals, while sophomore guard Dimetri Iafrate (Johnston, R.I.) netted 12 points on 6-11 from the floor in addition to four steals, two blocks, a rebound and an assist. Junior guard Tristan Herry (East Taunton, Mass.) chipped in with a game-high nine rebounds and seven assists in addition to scoring four points.
Senior Declan Walmsley (Franklin, Mass.) netted a game-high 19 points, including four three-balls and pulled down six boards, made three steals and handed out an assist, while graduate student forward Brad Fowler (Colden, N.Y.) scored 11 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished for a pair of assists.
Neither team led by more than two points through the first 10-plus minutes and Salve Regina took a 15-14 lead for the eighth lead change of the game when graduate student forward Brad Fowler (Colden, N.Y.) knocked down a step back jumper at the 9:21 mark of the opening half.
Wheaton took the lead for good during a 22-9 stretch over the next eight-plus minutes, paced by eight points from Perri and seven from Morrissey, to take a 36-24 advantage with just 75 seconds left in the half. The Lyons were 5-7 from three-point range during the crucial run. Wheaton took a 36-25 lead into the intermission.
Iafrate gave the Lyons their largest lead of the night with a driving layup at the 17:19 mark of the second half to make it 40-25. The Seahawks battled back, putting together a 12-5 stretch, fueled by a pair of Walmsley three-pointers, to cut the deficit to 45-37 with 12:50 to play in the half.
Wheaton bumped the lead back to double-digits with a 7-2 burst, capped by a trifecta from senior forward Tarmo Tari (Chelmsford, Mass.), to increase the visitors' cushion to 52-39 with 10:12 showing in the second half. The Lyons maintained a 57-45 lead after a layup from Iafrate with 4:45 to go in the contest. Salve Regina made one last push, scoring eight of the next nine points to close within 58-43 with just over three minutes to play in the game, but it was as close as they would get for the remainder of the night.
Wheaton returns to action on Thursday, January 16 when it hosts NEWMAC foe Babson College at Emerson Gymnasium for a 7:00 tip, while the Seahawks host conference rival United States Coast Guard Academy on January 18 at 1:00 p.m.
