Worcester, MA --- Matt Carr (Somersworth, NH) exploded for career-highs of 24 points and 12 rebounds to spark nationally ranked WPI to an 82-66 triumph over visiting Becker in a non-conference men's basketball matchup played on Thursday afternoon. 

The Engineers, ranked No. 23 in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25, move to 8-3 on the season while Becker, who is receiving votes in the poll, is now 8-2 overall.  

The win helped the Crimson and Gray avenge an earlier loss to Becker.  In November, the Hawks ended WPI's run of seven straight Worcester County Classic titles with a dramatic 62-61 last  second victory in Leicester.

WPI held Becker to just one field goal over a 13 minute span at the end of the first half and beginning of the beginning of the second stanza to highlight a 29-7 spurt that turned a nine-point deficit into a 13 point advantage.   During the decisive run, the Engineer defense held the Hawks to 1-for-10 shooting from the floor and forced six Becker turnovers.     

Carr kept the Engineers in the contest early, tallying 15 of the Engineers' first 21 points.  The junior drained 10-of-14 shots from the field while notching his second double-double of the season and third of his career.  Carr easily bested his previous career-highs of 16 points and 10 boards.

Jeffrey Robinson (Granby, CT) led all scorers with 26 points for WPI, including canning 13-of-14 free throws on the day.  Jerome Stewart (Bloomfield, CT) added 10 points while Ben Etten (Hollis, NH) netted eight, included a pair of key 3-pointers, to go along with five assists and Fernando Perez (Lowell, MA) chipped in with five points and seven rebounds.      

Rajai Leggett (New Haven, CT) paced Becker with a season-best 20 points.  The senior, who had hit the winning shot with 2.7 seconds remaining in the previous meeting between the two teams, connected on 9-of-17 field goal attempts on Thursday.  

Ricky Clark (New Britain, CT) tossed in 13 points for the Hawks while Markus Wright (New Haven, CT) added nine.  Terrance Favors (Boston, MA) filled the stat sheet for the visitors registering six points, seven rebounds and four assists.

WPI returns to the court on Sunday, traveling to Biddeford, Maine to take on the University of New England at 2pm.  Becker plays the third contest of a four-game road trip on Thursday at 7pm at Western New England.