NORTON, Mass. – Junior guard Dimetri Iafrate (Johnston, R.I.) poured in a career-high 26 points to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) men's basketball team over visiting Wentworth Institute of Technology, 92-66, this evening at Emerson Gymnasium in the season opener for both teams on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 1-0 on the season, while the Leopards dip to 0-1.
The victory was the first-ever in first year Head Coach Alex Dubrow's '20 debut for Wheaton as its head mentor.
The Lyons' point total was their highest in a season opener since a 108-107 double overtime loss at Wentworth on November 7, 2019, which, ironically, DuBrow scored 19 points in.
Iafrate's 26 points is the highest in a season opener for a Wheaton player since Billy Battaglia '16, erupted for 34 points in a 93-75 win over Wheelock College on November 13, 2015. Iafrate was 9-14 from the floor and 6-6 from the line to go with eight assists, three rebounds, two blocks and a career-high seven steals to tie Sean Kelly '06 and Rob Tyson '98 for the fourth-most in a game in program history. Sophomore swingman Sean Perri (West Roxbury, Mass.) scored 16 points, including four three-pointers to go with two rebounds and two assists, while senior guard Tristan Herry (East Taunton, Mass.) contributed with 13 points on 5-9 from the field, including 3-6 from three-point range and added two assists, a pair of steals and a rebound. Senior forward Eoin Morrissey (Watertown, Mass.) finished a point short of a double-double with nine points and 12 rebounds in addition to four assists and a steal.
First year swingman Colin Mannke (Stoneham, Mass.) netted 18 points on 5-10 shooting to go with three rebounds, a steal and an assist to lead the Leopards, while senior guard Mike Yentin (Beverly, Mass.) chipped in with nine points, four rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot.
The Lyons shot 54% (34-63) for the game, including 8-18 (42.9%) from three-point range and 12-13 (92.3%) from the free throw line. Wheaton owned a 28-10 margin in points off turnovers. Wentworth shot just 40% (20-50) from the floor, but was 20-25 (80%) from the line.
The teams were tied at 8-8 following a layup from senior guard Russell Dolabany (Westwood, Mass.) for the Leopards. The Lyons exploded for a 16-2 run, including 13 unanswered points, and were led by seven points from Iafrate and six from Perri, to take a 24-10 lead with 11:52 to play in the opening half. Perri later drained a triple to maintain Wheaton's cushion at 34-20 with 5:24 showing in the first half.
Mannke outscored the Lyons, 9-2, over the next two minutes to pull Wentworth within 38-31 at the 3:35 mark. A pair of free throws kept the visitors within 38-31 with 3:11 to go in the half, before Wheaton ripped off seven straight points, including five from Morrissey, to increase its lead to 45-31 with 43 ticks left in the initial stanza. Yentin sank a pair of free throws before the end of the half to make it 45-33 for the Leopards.
Wentworth sophomore forward Aiden Flaherty (East Bridgewater, Mass.) converted a tip-in just 91 seconds into the second half to cut the deficit to 47-37, but the Lyons put together a 16-5 stretch, fueled by seven points from Iafrate, to expand their margin to 63-42 with 13:44 remaining in the half.
A 9-2 burst, capped by a three-pointer from first year guard Davis Lunn (Clinton, Mass.) cut the difference to 65-51 at the 10:47 mark of the second season for the visitors. Wheaton put the game out of reach with a 23-7 run, paced by five points from Herry, to stake the Lyons to their largest lead at 88-58 with 3:33 to play in the game.
Wheaton returns to action on Tuesday, November 11 when it hosts Lasell University at 7:00 p.m., while the Leopards host Massachusetts Institute of Technology on November 10 at 8:00 p.m.
