O'Loughlin pours in a game-high 22 points, Clinesmith named Tournament MVP
DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Wheaton College sophomore forward Mike O'Loughlin (Milford, N.H./Milford) poured in a game-high 22 points and added six rebounds to lead the Lyons to a 78-66 triumph over Worcester State University on Saturday evening in the championship game of the Hampton Inn Classic, hosted by UMass Dartmouth.
Sophomore forward Ryan Clinesmith (New York, N.Y./The Hill School) tallied 14 points, a game-high nine caroms and two blocks to earn Tournament MVP honors. In the opening round of the tournament on Friday night, Clinesmith posted 12 points and brought down three rebounds in Wheaton's 65-61 win over UMass Dartmouth.
O'Loughlin, who was also named to the All-Tournament Team, went 7-for-14 from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line. The Lyons shot 47-percent from the field (27-for-58) against the Lancers.
Junior Dane Jobst (Athol, Mass./Mahar) was solid for the Lancers with a team-high 18 points, five rebounds and four steals while freshman Alex Lopez (Springfield, Mass./Commerce) contributed 11 points and four rebounds. Junior Jeremy Ross (Holden, Mass.Wachusett) chipped in with 10 points, five boards, two assists and a pair of swipes off the bench for Worcester State
The contest was a back and forth affair over the first ten minutes as the lead changed hands on a trio of occasions. The game was also knotted up six times as Wheaton did hold a six point lead twice around the 15:00 mark of play.
With the score tied 19-19 with 10:12 on the clock, the Lancers used a 13-3 run to take over with a 32-22 advantage with 6:17 remaining in the opening frame on the back end of consecutive three pointers from Jobst.
The Lyons responded and outscored the Lancers, 16-7, to trail by just one at the intermission (39-38). A three-point basket by sophomore Jaycob Morales (Lawrence, Mass./Central Catholic) started the rally that featured four buckets in the paint. Freshman Malcom Thomas (Plainfield, N.J./Rutgers Prep) finished things off with a shot from beyond the arc.
Worcester State got to within one on three different occasions over the first five minutes of the second half and trailed 52-46 with 13:21 left, but Wheaton utilized a 12-3 spurt over the next seven-and-a-half minutes for its 68-55 advantage.
The Lancers used a pair of three pointers by Jobst and Lopez to slice into the deficit, 68-64, with 4:07 remaining on the clock.
Wheaton answered at the free throw line making six consecutive shots down the stretch to walk away with the tournament title.
The Lyons (2-0, 0-0 NEWMAC) return home on Tuesday, November 20 against Emerson College at 6 p.m. Worcester State (1-1, 0-0 MASCAC) will play Clark University on Thursday, November 29 on the road with tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m.