Clinesmith records sixth-straight game with double-digit points
NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College men's basketball team saw its five-game winning streak come to an end as the Bridgewater State University Bears defeated the Lyons, 62-50, in non-conference action at Emerson Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore forward Ryan Clinesmith (New York, N.Y./The Hill School) paced Wheaton with 18 points, six rebounds and one assist. Sophomore forward Mike O'Loughlin (Milford, N.H./Milford) finished with 13 points, eight caroms, three assists and three steals while senior forward Brian Johnson (Roxbury, Mass./Brimmer and May School) collected eight rebounds, five points and two steals.
Bridgewater State sophomore forward Michael Lofton (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) posted a double-double with a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds. Junior guard Brian Grossman (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) added ten points and four rebounds (two offensive) and senior guard Shawn Yard (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) notched a game-high six assists, nine boards and three points.
The Bears shot 28.8-percent from the floor, 26.7-percent from long distance and 80.0-percent at the free throw line. Wheaton recorded a 36.2-percent field goal percentage, went 2-of-14 (14.3%) from beyond the arc and 6-of-8 from the charity stripe (75.0%). Bridgewater State outrebounded the Lyons, 49-39, and 17-6 on the offensive glass. The visitors also won the turnover margin, 17-13, and capitalized on a 23-6 advantage in points off of the bench.
Wheaton opened the game with six straight points and held Bridgewater State scoreless over the first four minutes of the contest. The Bears tied the game at 12-12 and took their first lead (18-16) on a Lofton layup with 7:34 remaining in the opening stanza. The Bears took a 29-26 lead into halftime and never relinquished it for the remainder of the contest.
The Lyons erased an eight-point deficit in the second half on three separate occasion before making it a one-possession game at 40-38 with 10:40 remaining in the stanza on a Clinesmith layup. The Bears responded with a 22-12 run, including an 8-for-10 showing at the free throw line over the last three minutes, to close out the game. Sophomore forward Diijon Reid (Mattapan, Mass./Newton South) canned a pair of three-pointers and Lofton also added six points to highlight the run.
Wheaton (5-1, 0-0 NEWMAC) hosts Gordon College on Tuesday, December 4 in Emerson Gymnasium at 7 p.m. Bridgewater State (3-2, 0-0 MASCAC) travels to Anna Maria College on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.