Worcester, MA --- Marco Coppola (Watertown, MA) drained nine of his 14 shots from the field for a game-best 23 points as he helped lead fourth-ranked WPI to an 80-67 triumph over visiting Purchase College SUNY in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament this evening. 

The Engineers (26-2) move on to play Randolph Macon in the second round as the Yellow Jackets defeated Stevens, 69-60, earlier in the day.  The site and will be announced Sunday.  The Panthers, who were making their third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last four seasons, see their season come to an end at 21-6. 

Ryan Kolb (Southington, CT) poured in 16 points off a 7-for-15 effort from the floor for the Crimson and Gray while Sam Longwell (Acton, MA) chipped in with 12.  Domenick Mastascusa (North Reading, MA) added 10 points and six boards and Zach Karalis (North Andover, MA) dished out a game-best six assists in the victory for the hosts. 

SUNY Purchase was paced by Andre Nixon (Harlem, NY) who finished with a squad-best 16 points. Joel Neri (Port Chester, NY) also registered 12 points for the visitors while Craig Davis (Queens, NY) and Amar Reynolds (Bronx, NY) ended their night with 11 and 10 points, respectively. David Haughton (Greenbush, NY) grabbed a game-best 13 boards in the setback for the Panthers. 

SUNY Purchase opened the game with the early 7-2 advantage before the Engineers utilized an 11-2 run for the 13-9 edge with 11:57 remaining. WPI held a pair of six point margins at both the midway point and again with 7:18 left (21-15), but the visitors went on a 7-0 spurt over the next two minutes to go ahead 21-20 on a lay-up by Neri. 

With the Panthers nursing the 24-23 lead at the 4:38 mark, Coppola keyed a 14-4 surge for the Engineers with the first of five consecutive three-pointers to help the hosts close out the half with the 38-26 score at the intermission.  Coppola hit the first two treys and added another with 2:07 on the clock to finish the period leading all scorers with 11 points. 

The Crimson and Gray maintained their double-digits advantage into the second period and led 47-34 with 14:14 left. But SUNY Purchase used a 6-0 mini run with three straight buckets by Neri, Nixon and Ryan Lobban (Bronx, NY) to help the Panthers trail 47-40 less than two minutes later.  

WPI responded with a Longwell lay-up and a Kolb trifecta to go back up by 52-40 with just under 10 minutes left in regulation. The Engineers built up their advantage to as many as 19 with 2:38 left (71-52) as the Panthers never threatened the rest of the way. 

For the contest, the Boynton Hillers made half of their shots (53 percent – 30-for-57) and they connected for nine of their 25 bids from downtown (36 percent).  WPI also parlayed 17 Panther miscues into a 25-9 edge in points off of turnovers. 

SUNY Purchase shot a modest 40 percent for the game (26-for-65) while controlling the backboards (43-29). The visitors also used a 21-6 lead in offensive caroms to finish with a 20-9 advantage in second-chance points. 

Story written by Steven M. Miller Jr. - Worcester State Athletics

WPI postgame interview (courtesy Noontime Sports)

Purchase College, SUNY postgame interview (courtesy Noontime Sports)