Springfield, MA --- Behind 22 points and six rebounds from senior guard Josh Altman (Rockport, MA), the Springfield men's basketball team upset the No. 6 WPI Engineers, 63-59 in front of a packed Blake Arena on Saturday night.
With the win, the Pride have now won its last four contesst and five out of its last six. Springfield improves to 13-6 on the season, and 5-3 in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). With the loss, WPI suffers just its third setback of the season, falling to 16-3 and 6-2 in league play.
Along with Altman's 22 points, senior guard Sean Martin (Rindge, NH) posted 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal, while junior guard Josh Downes (East Sandwich, MA) contributed 12 points and four rebounds in the victory.
For the Engineers, senior guard Sam Longwell (Acton, MA) led the way with 19 points and six assists, while Domenick Mastascusa (North Reading, MA) contributed 12 points and a pair of rebounds in the loss.
WPI took an early 4-2 advantage, but Martin then found Larry Piretra (Oakland, NJ) on the ensuing possession for a three-pointer to give the Pride a one-point advantage. From there, a pair of three-pointers from Longwell and a lay-up from Obi Obiora (Boston, MA) gave the Engineers a 12-5 lead.
After a three-pointer from Altman to make it 12-8 WPI at the 14:18 mark of the first half, the Engineers strung together a quick 6-0 run over the next 1:50 to push its lead to ten.
After Obionga gave WPI a 22-17 edge, Longwell knocked down a mid-range floater to push the Engineers' lead to seven, before the two sides traded baskets until Downes drained a lay-up and hit a free-throw to complete a three-point play, cutting the Pride's deficit to four.
WPI then rattled off five unanswered points including a lay-up from Mastascusa before a lay-up from Altman ended the run, making it 31-24, WPI. On Springfield's next possession, Martin was fouled and connected twice from the line, before Zach Karalis (Andover, MA) hit a three to put the visitors up eight.
With 23 seconds left in the half, Tim Swenson (Millbury, MA) picked up a rebound and draineed the putback to bring the Pride back to within six to end the half, 34-28, WPI.
Piretra capitalized on a wide-open three-point attempt to begin the second half, bringing the Pride to within three. A dunk in transition from Downes pulled the Pride back to within one before a pair of free-throws from Mastascusa aided the Engineers in regaining its three-point lead.
Down one after a pair of free-throws from Obionga, Piretra took a feed from Martin and finished off the lay-up to give the Pride the one-point lead.
Springfield's defense then took over, for the Pride held the Engineers scoreless over the next 5:23 of the contest.
At the 13:00 mark of the second half, Altman came off a screen and drained a deep three-pointer to extend the Pride's lead to four. Once Downes converted on an up-and-under to give the Pride a five-point lead midway through the half, Longwell hit a lay-up before Shane Farley (Burlington, MA) evened the score at 43 apiece with a three-pointer from the wing.
Holding a four-point lead after a triple from Altman at the 6:35 mark of the half, Longwell brought the Engineers to within one after a pull-up three-pointer on the wing to make it 51-50, Springfield.
On WPI's next possession, Longwell converted again, but this time from the paint to give the Engineer's back the lead, before the senior found Mastascusa for a triple from the wing to give the visitors a 55-51 advantage.
Coming out of a timeout, Altman brought the Pride back to within two with a deep two, but a corner three from Aaron Davis (Marshfield, MA) extended WPI's lead to five. On Springfield's next possession, Altman drained his fourth three-pointer of the game before Martin hit a pair of free-throws to even the score at 58.
With 22.3 seconds remaining Obionga hit one of his two free-throws to give the Engineers a one-point lead, giving the Pride the last possession of the game.
After Martin took the inbound, the senior drove to the basket and drew a foul putting him on the stripe, where he converted a pair to give the Pride a one-point lead. Springfield converted on its free-throws down the stretch and escaped with the four-point win.
Springfield shot 19-of-45 (42.2%) from the field in the win, while WPI was 23-for-49 (46.9%) on the evening.
Springfield will return to action on Wedensday, February 4 when it will take on MIT at home at 7:30pm. WPI is at Emerson at 7pm on Wednesday.
Release Courtesy Springfield Sports Information