Nashua, NH – Despite 15 points from senior Chris Hanson (Salem, Mass.) including the 1,500th point of his career, the Daniel Webster College men's basketball team hung close but couldn't pull even down the stretch, dropping a 61-52 decision to league-leader Becker College in a NECC men's basketball clash Saturday at Mario Vagge Gymnasium.
Hanson, who became just the third player in Eagle program history to reach the 1,500-point milestone, added eight rebounds and three assists while rookie Daris Cosby (Columbia, S.C.) added a double double with 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. DWC moved to 7-5 overall (2-2 NECC).
Terrance Favors (Boston, Mass.) knocked down a game-high 20 points and added seven boards to lead the Hawks (13-2, 5-0) NECC, who remained perfect in NECC play while grabbing their fifth straight win. Trae Jacobs (Lexington Park, Md.) notched 15 points while Markus Wright (New Haven, Conn.) added a double double with 13 points and 11 caroms off the bench.
Both teams played tough and physical defense, leading to below-average shooting for both clubs. Becker managed just 31-percent on the night including 26-percent in the second half while DWC was 32-percent overall and 31-percent in the second. Moreover, the two combined for just four three-pointers with three coming from the hosts.
The difference was 21 Eagle turnovers (leading to 24 Hawk points) to just eight for Becker (garnering 9 Eagle points), while DWC swiped a season-low three steals against 12 for the visitors.
That ball control helped negate a stronger inside presence for Daniel Webster, which stayed close in rebounding (48-44 for the Eagles) and scoring in the paint (28-24 for Becker) although Becker had an important upper hand in second-chance points (16-3).
The Eagles held a 6-2 lead in the early going before the Hawks answered with a 10-0 run sparked by two Favors layups and the lead grew to as high as 14 (26-12) before the hosts answered with a 10-0 run of their own with seven coming from Hanson for a 26-22 game with 1:18 to go.
But Becker responded with a 7-1 run to close the half with four coming from Wright for a 33-23 lead at the break.
DWC stayed within striking distance, three times cutting the lead to eight, the last coming on a Cosby three for a 36-28 game with 16:13 left.
A Cosby layup with 9:10 to go made it a nine-point game (48-39) but a Favors spin move in the paint and a Jacobs 10-foot jumper pushed the lead back to 13 with eight minutes left and the Eagles got no closer than nine the rest of the way.
The Eagles return to action on Tuesday hosting Lesley University in a NECC meeting tipping off at 7:00 p.m. while Becker hosts Lesley next Saturday at 3:00 p.m.