Worcester, MA- After a conference opening win last Saturday the Worcester State Men's Basketball team (4-10, 1-0) journey to perennial postseason rivals Westfield State (12-3, 2-0) for their second MASCAC meeting of the season. Westfield has faced off with Worcester State three of the last four years in the MASCAC finals to develop a deep rivalry between the two programs. 

Final

Worcester State: 76

Westfield State: 85

How it Happened:

Worcester would be slow on the initial tipoff against the Owls, allowing Westfield to jump to an early 10-0 lead. Their first points of the action would come nearly three minutes into the game off a graduate student Sam Davies (Worcester, MA) made a free throw. It would take another two minutes before the Lancers would really begin to find their momentum as junior Ayme Daguilh (West Boylston, MA), senior Brandon Goris (Bronx, NY) and first year Camdyn Shoesmith (Bedford, MA) would find the ball sending through the hoop. Westfield would again attempt to push their lead out but the Lancers were prepared for the push and closed the gap down to four points with under 10 minutes to go. With just five minutes to go the Owls would again go on a late run to push their lead back into the double digits to carry a 41-24 lead into the half.

Worcester, after taking the time to regroup, was ready to put the pressure back on the Owls. The Lancers would trade baskets for a majority of the second half, with Westfield extending their lead by a few points but Worcester would work the lead down, but were unable to gain much ground into the deficit but would close the gap down 15 with just over five minutes to go. With the remaining time Worcester began a late charge to topple Westfield led by Goris and sophomore Jaylen Kirkland (Gardner, MA). Time would just get away from Worcester in the end as the Owls held off the comeback bid with a 85-76 score.

Goris would lead the Lancers with 25 points while Shoesmith would claim the boards title with a double-double on the day with 12 rebounds and 10 points.

What's Next:

Worcester State (4-11,1-1) continues their MASCAC Championship battle tour on Saturday when they journey for the first of two rematch of last year's Championship with a trip to Bridgewater State. Game time is set for 12pm.