Westfield State 66, Worcester State 56
Westfield, MA --- Senior guard Derek Leab (Shrewsbury, MA) scored a game-high 18 points and freshman center Matt Devine (Pembroke, MA) had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots to lead Westfield State to a 65-55 MASCAC men's basketball victory over Worcester State this evening.
The Owls improved to 9-12 overall and 2-6 in the MASCAC; their other MASCAC victory was a 76-56 decision at Worcester State last month. The Lancers are 10-11 and 3-5.
Westfield struggled at the outset, trailing 12-7 with 7:58 left in the first half following a 3-point basket by Maurice Horton (Detroit, MI). Horton - the MASCAC's leading scoring (21.5 ppg.) - entered the game needing 16 points for 1,000 career points. However, he was benched for the remainder of the game after being assessed a technical foul for taunting the Westfield bench immediately following his three-point basket. He played eight minutes and scored five points.
The Owls then came out of hibernation, going on an 18-1 run to take a 25-13 lead with 2:27 remaining in the first half. The big scoring surge was capped by two 3-point baskets by Leab and a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Nate Pollard (Holyoke).
Westfield led 27-19 at halftime and extended its lead to 33-19 early in the second half. Worcester closed to with seven points several times over the next few minutes, then Westfield took its biggest lead, 52-36, with 9:33 remaining in the game on a Pollard layup.
The Lancers battled back to within six points, 61-55, with 2:19 remaining on a 3-point basket by Tim Henault (Lunenburg, MA). But the Lancers had no timeouts remaining and Westfield was able to work the clock to its advantage in the closing minutes.
Leab, who has been nursing a shooting hand injury for the past month, was 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. Pollard scored 14 points.
Henault led the Lancers with a career-tying 16 points and Monte Goodwin (Boston, MA/Belmont) had 12 points. Jamaal Atkins (Webster, MA) had four points and a game-high 14 boards.
Worcester out-rebounded Westfield, 41-33, and was 20-for-28 from the foul line. But the Lancers shot 31 percent (16-for-51) from the field, including 3-for-16 from beyond the arc.
Release Courtesy of Westfield State Sports Information