Jan 25, 2014
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Western New England University shot just over 50 percent (30 for 59) from the floor to cruise to an 86-58 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's basketball win over the University of New England on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 25) at the Alumni Healthful Living Center.
With their second straight conference victory, the Golden Bears (5-11) improve to 3-7 in league play. The Nor'easters slide back to 1-16 (1-9 CCC) on the year.
Musa Elsir and Dennis Rinaldi led five players in double figures with 15 points apiece. Nick DeFeo added 14 points, Zach Askew had 12, and Kevin Wilkes tallied 11 off the bench. Ryan Mickiewicz grabbed a game-best eight rebounds and dished out seven assists.
WNEU was even more accurate from long distance, connecting on 11-of-19 attempts (58 percent) from three-point land.
UNE got 15 points out of first-year Justin Pollard. Classmate Sam Thomas went for eight points, five rebounds, and three blocks.
The Nor'easters made just 28 percent (18 for 65) of their field goal tries in the contest.
Things were tight early on, and the score was tied (16-16) with just over eight minutes gone. Then Elsir knocked down a triple that gave the hosts the lead for good, starting a 16-4 run over 5:15. Four different players hit from downtown during the stretch.
Western New England recorded the last seven points of the opening half to gain a 42-25 cushion after 20 minutes. The margin swelled to as high as 33 in the 2nd period.
Big Blue returns home to face Eastern Nazarene College on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.).