Hartford, Conn. – Junior center Matt Carr (Somersworth, N.H.) totaled 16 points, 11 rebounds, and a blocked shot to lead the visiting Worcester Polytechnic Institute Engineers to a 69-61 win over the Trinity College Bantams in men's basketball action this afternoon at Oosting Gymnasium. Trinity, falls to 8-5 with its first loss five games, while the Engineers earn their fourth consecutive victory and improve to 11-3.
Trinity led, 28-25, at the half and, 30-25, less than a minute into the second half, but WPI used a 14-6 run over the next five-plus minutes to take a 39-36 lead with 13:18 left to play on a three-pointer as the shot clock expired by junior guard Jaime Shannon (Lowell, Mass.). Bantam senior co-captain swingman Jared Pimm (Chelmsford, Mass.) drilled a trey from the left wing to tie the score at 39-39 at the 13:18 mark, before WPI went on a 13-4 spurt that included six points by Carr. The Bantams scored the next six points, cutting the Engineer lead to three points at 52-49 on a three-pointer by senior guard Brian Ford (Bronx, N.Y.), before WPI benefited from both a traditional three-point play and a long-range jumper by Carr en route to its biggest lead of the night at 63-51 with two minutes remaining. Trinity sophomore guard Mick DiStasio (Cheverus, Maine) scored seven points in the final two minutes, as the Bantams scrambled to pull within six at 67-61 with 30 seconds on the clock, but did not get the ball back until just before time expired.
Trinity lost the battle of the boards with a 33-26 deficit, but made eight three-pointers in 17 attempts. WPI countered with a 50-percent shooting from long range (6-12) and added 13 free throws in 15 attempts. Ford paced all scorers with 22 points, while sophomore forward Adam Skaggs (Framingham, Mass.) added 10 points and a team-high five rebounds off the bench for the Bantams. Trinity sophomore guard Cameron Sutton (Queens, N.Y.) dished out eight assists and rookie guard Kevin Lubin (Winnetka, Ill.) notched five assists. Junior forward Fernando Perez (Lowell, Mass.) led WPI in scoring with 18 points, making nine out of 12 shots from the field, off the pine to go with six rebounds and three assists, while senior guard Jeff Robinson (Granby, Conn.) had 14 points and five assists.