Pittsford, N.Y. – Clark University connected on a season-high 13 three-pointers and got an impressive all-around performance from freshman Lucas LaLima (Colts Neck, N.J.) and the Cougars posted their second straight strong offensive performance, dispatching of Southern Maine, 77-55 at the Woodcliff Hotel & Spa Tournament on Monday afternoon.
The Cougars improved to 9-2 overall and have now won four straight for the second time this season and longtime head coach Paul Phillips tied legendary former coach Wally Halas for the most wins in program history (233) and he is now one win away from 400 in his coaching career which is now in its 26th season.
This contest was never in doubt as Clark opened the game on a 14-4 burst highlighted by three straight three-pointers from Nicholas DaPrato (Marshfield, Mass.).
Southern Maine got as close as seven at 19-12 following a pair of baskets from Tyler Penney, and again at 37-30 when Zach Leal scored inside with 3:23 left in the opening half.
The Huskies wouldn't score for the remainder of the half and the Cougars went on a 10-0 run during that span as Tyler Huffman (East Hartford, Conn.) had eight of those points including a buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave Clark a commanding 47-30 halftime edge.
Southern Maine got the Cougars' advantage down to 13 a little more than halfway through the second stanza at 59-46 but Clark allowed just one made basket and one free throw over the next seven plus minutes. As a result, the Cougars went on a 14-3 run that saw a pair of three-pointers fall from DaPrato, another from Andrew Musler (Belmont, Mass.) as well as layups from both Huffman and Marcus Armstrong (Malden, Mass.).
Clark's lead peaked at 24 (73-49) before they settled for a 20-point victory.
After shooting nearly 53 percent from the field in the first half, the Cougars shooting cooled down in the second frame but they still shot 45 percent for the game (27-for-60), including 13-for-29 from behind the arc.
DaPrato paced the Clark offense with a game-high 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting – his fourth straight game with 20 points or more.
LaLima, however, was the star of the afternoon, totaling eight points and four steals to go along with career-highs in rebounds (11) and assists (8). Huffman, meanwhile, chipped in with 13 points and Musler added nine points and four assists.
The Cougars are now off until January 8 when they open up play in the New England Women's And Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) with a road trip at MIT. Tipoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.