Worcester, MA --- Sam Longwell (Acton, MA) registered the first WPI triple-double in a decade as host WPI defeated Wheaton 92-68 in a NEWMAC men's basketball contest played Saturday afternoon in Harrington Auditorium. 

WPI, eighth in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25, has now won four straight and moves to 15-2 on the season and 5-1 in conference action.  Wheaton slips to 3-13 overall and 0-6 in NEWMAC play. 

Longwell finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and a 10 career-best assists without committing a turnover.   The senior preseason All-America had a first half for the ages with 22 points and eight assists before intermission.  His triple-double was the program's first since big man Scott Misiaszek (Old Lyme, CT) turned the trick with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 11 blocks in a 69-67 WPI victory over host Wheaton in battle of NEWMAC unbeatens on January 22, 2005.  Longwell accomplished the feat on a rebound with 10:59 left in the game and did not play the final 6:15 of the contest. 

Longwell's effort was part of a strong all-around shooting performance for the Engineers in the opening stanza.  The Crimson and Gray connected on 9 of its first 12 shots from the field en route to a 61.3% showing in the opening half.  The Lyons were no slouches either, connecting on half of their field goal tries (13-of-26) but still trailed 51-37 at the break. 

Wheaton used to a 7-0 spurt early in the second half, highlighted by a Liam Bruno (Newton, MA) trifecta, to slice the deficit to 11 for the first of three times in the second  session but Zach Karalis (North Andover, MA) netted 13 of his 18 points after intermission to keep the visitors at bay. 

Point guard Aaron Davis (Marshfield, MA) equaled his career-high with eight assists and, like Longwell, did not commit a turnover.  As a team the Engineers notched 28 assists on 36 made baskets while only committing 10 turnovers.  The hosts enjoyed a large 34-9 margin in points off miscues and a 42-22 edge in points in the paint. Domenick Mastascusa (North Reading, MA) and Sean Doncaster (Medford, MA) both reached double figures in scoring with 11 and 10 points respectively for the Crimson and Gray while Davis and Ian Converse (Woodstock, CT) each pitched in with eight, which equaled a career-high for Converse. 

Wheaton was paced offensively by Billy Battaglia (Simsbury, CT) and Mike O'Loughlin(Milford, MA).  The duo both poured in 18 points with Battaglia, the   NEWMAC's leading scorer, adding four rebounds and a pair of assists.  Bruno finished with 10 points off the bench for the Lyons while local product Eddie Capstick (Worcester, MA) stuffed the stat sheets with six points and team-highs of five assists and five rebounds.  

WPI concludes a two-game homestand on Wednesday taking on Coast Guard at 7pm while Wheaton host MIT at the same time Wednesday evening.

A photo posted by WPI Athletics (@wpiathletics) on Jan 24, 2015 at 5:26pm PST

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