NORTON, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's basketball team erased a 16-point deficit, but was unable to come away with a win in a 69-62 loss to visiting Salve Regina University this evening in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Emerson Gymnasium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 15-9 overall and 8-7 in league play, while the Seahawks have won six of their last seven to improve to 18-6 and 11-4.
Salve Regina shot 51% (26-51) from the floor, despite making just 2-15 (13.3%) from three-point range. The Seahawks dominated the boards, 42-22, and owned a 13-4 second-chance point margin. Wheaton shot just 39.3% (22-56) from the field and was 7-33 (21.2%) from long range.
The Lyons were led by junior guard Dimetri Iafrate (Johnston, R.I.) with 14 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals, while senior guard Tristan Herry (East Taunton, Mass.) netted 12 points, pulled down two rebounds, doled out a pair of assists and came up with a steal. Senior forward Eoin Morrissey (Watertown, Mass.) chipped in with 12 points, a rebound, two assists and a pair of steals.
Senior guard Sean Seymour (Albany, N.Y.) scored 22 points and added 11 rebounds to post his second double-double of the season in addition to handing out two assists and coming up with a steal for Salve Regina. Junior forward Pat Spenard (Rochester, Mass.) was 6-8 from the floor as part of a 14-point effort to go with an assist and 10 boards for his second double-double as well for Salve Regina. Sophomore forward Wiliam Mensah (Newburgh, N.Y.) contributed with 12 points on 5-6 shooting and added five rebounds and a steal.
The Seahawks looked like they would run away with the game, opening a 21-5 advantage in the first eight minutes of the contest behind a balanced scoring attack from Seymour (seven points), junior guard Domenic Malvey (Newton, N.H.) (six points) and Mensah (six points).
Salve Regina maintained a 24-9 cushion with 9:45 showing on the first half clock, before Wheaton came to life with a 14-6 stretch that included a pair of triples from Herry and a three-ball from senior guard Sal Pedevillano (Parsippany, N.J.) to pull the home team within 30-23 with 4:52 left in the first stanza. Sophomore guard Sean Perri (West Roxbury, Mass.) later buried a three-pointer to make it a six-point deficit at 32-26 with 4:15 to go in the session, but the Seahawks scored the final three points of the half to take a 35-26 advantage into the intermission.
Spenard converted a layup early in the second half to bump Salve Regina's lead to 39-27, but the Lyons made another push with a 15-6 stretch, fueled by seven points from Morrissey and six from Iafrate to make it a one-possession game at 45-42 with 12:32 remaining in the contest.
The Seahawks responded with eight of the next nine points, including five from Seymour, to restore their double-digit difference at 53-43 with 9:54 left in the second half. Wheaton continued to battle back, chipping away during a 16-6 stretch capped by a three-point play from sophomore forward Nick Scandura (Barrington, R.I.) to pull the Lyons even at 59-59 with 2:53 showing on the second half clock.
It was Wheaton's final push as Salve Regina pulled away with a 10-3 run to close out the game for the victory.
The Lyons return to play on Saturday, February 21 at 1:00 p.m. when they travel to No. 24 Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Mass., while the Seahawks return to the hardwood on the same day at the same time when they host NEWMAC foe Babson College.
