Clinesmith, Faucher combine for 33 points in loss for Lyons

NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College men's basketball team dropped a 72-65 decision to Gordon College in non-conference action on Tuesday night in Emerson Gymnasium.

Sophomore forward Ryan Clinesmith (New York, N.Y./The Hill School) led all scorers with 20 points (8-of-19), eight rebounds, three assists and one steal. Senior guard Scott Faucher (Lebanon, N.H./Kimball Union Academy) tallied 13 points on 3-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc (5-of-9 total), three assists and one rebound. Sophomore forward Mike O'Loughlin (Milford, N.H./Milford) added 12 points (5-for-17), seven rebounds and a game-high five assists.

Second-year guard Taylor Bajema (Whitinsville, Mass./Whitinsville Christian) led four Gordon College players in double-figures with 19 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field, 8-of-8 from the charity stripe, eight rebounds and one assist. Classmate and forward Hans Miersma (Whitinsville, Mass./Whitinsville Christian) hauled in a double-double with ten points and a game-high 18 rebounds (seven offensive). Senior forward David Dempsey (Wallingford, Conn./Lyman Hall) notched 12 points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist while junior guard Park Thomas (Scottsdale, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian) poured in 13 points (8-of-10 from the line), four rebounds and three assists.

The Fighting Scots shot 36.1-percent from the field, 28.6-percent from long distance and 75.0-percent at the free throw line. Wheaton went 26-for-74 (35.1%) from the floor, 33.3-percent from three-point range and 29.4-percent from the charity stripe. Gordon outrebounded the Lyons, 56-40, in the contest and also outscored the hosts, 30-22, in the paint.

Trailing 57-43 with 6:20 remaining in the game, Wheaton stormed back with a 16-6 run to trim its deficit down to 63-59 with 1:54 left to play. The Lyons turned on the pressure defensively with a full court press that resulted in five turnovers and three timeouts. Clinesmith led the charge with six points while Faucher and O'Loughlin contributed five points, respectively.

Gordon closed out the contest at the free throw line converting nine of its 12 attempts (75.0-percent). The Fighting Scots got out to their 14-point lead in the second half with a 29-16 run to open up the stanza. Bajema guided the visitors offensively during the span with 11 points. Gordon led by as many as 14 points on three separate occasions in the second half.

Wheaton (5-2, 0-0 NEWMAC) travels to Salve Regina University on Thursday, December 6 with opening tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Gordon (2-3, 0-2 CCC) takes on Lynchburg in the first round of the Manhattanville Castle Classic in Purchase, N.Y. on Friday, December 7 at 6 p.m.