SPRINGFIELD, MA- The Wheaton College men's basketball team had nine players in uniform during Saturday night's 86-71 setback at New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foe Springfield College in Blake Arena.

The Lyons, who knocked off the Pride earlier this season, fell to 7-12 overall and 2-5 in league play, while Springfield moved to 11-8 and 4-3.

Minus three of its four top scorers, Wheaton struggled offensively, as shown by its 31 first-half points.  Freshman Brian Grossman (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) turned in a career game, racking up season highs of 17 points, five threes and five assists while matching a season-best four steals.  Grossman had 14 markers and four treys by halftime.

Senior Anthony Coppola (Watertown, MA/Watertown) did most of his damage after the intermission, tallying 12 second-half points to finish with 17.  Sophomore Brian Johnson (Roxbury, MA/Brimmer and May School) scored in double figures for the third straight game with 11, while classmate Scott Faucher (Lebanon, NH/Kimball Union Academy) had 10.

Senior Matthew Cavalieri (West Warwick, RI/West Warwick) paced the hosts with 28 points, while junior Jordan Rote (Sheffield, MA/Mount Everett) and sophomore Pat Rossi (Rock Tavern, NY/Washingtonville) added 16 and 12, respectively, as reserves.  Senior Billy Harkins (Bellmore, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) had nine assists.

Five straight Lyon point gave the visitors a 5-2 edge just 2:04 into action before the Pride used a 10-0 run and never looked back.  Wheaton brought the score to 12-8 at 12:46 and trailed 21-18 at 8:15, but Springfield answered with 15 of the frame's next 17 points for a commanding 36-20 lead with 3:43 to play before halftime.  Grossman's fourth triple narrowed the Lyon deficit to 42-31 with less than a minute to go before Rote responded with a three and 45-31 Pride edge.

The Blue and White three times kept the margin at 13 in the early going of the second half, including at 51-38 with 15:52 to go, before seven straight Springfield points made it a 20-point game with 13:50 remaining.  Behind 64-43 midway through, Wheaton found itself down 76-46 at 6:13 before chipping away.  The Lyons showed fight in going on a 23-5 spurt to climb within 12 at 81-69, but with 1:11 showing on the clock it was too little too late.   

Wheaton will entertain league opponent Clark University on Wednesday in the front end of a doubleheader at 5:30 p.m.