Feb 03, 2015
BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Senior forward John-Michael Fragnoli scored a game-high 19 points to lead Wentworth Institute of Technology to a 61-49 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's basketball victory over the University of New England on Tuesday evening (Feb. 3) at the Harold Alfond Forum.
The Leopards' fourth consecutive win puts WIT at 10-10 overall, and now 8-5 in CCC action. Big Blue falls to 5-15 on the year, 3-10 in league play.
Senior Ray Bessette added 13 points for Wentworth, which shot 41 percent from the floor as a team and overcame 23 turnovers. First-year Jason Ganley tallied nine points and a game-best five rebounds, as the Leopards controlled the boards by a 36-24 margin. Senior Nico Donato contributed eight points and four steals.
The Nor'easters were paced by a season-high 17 points from first-year Drew Coveney, and sophomore CJ Autry chipped in with 12. First-year Gavin Dibble recorded all of his six points and four steals in the 2nd half.
Wentworth came out of halftime holding a 28-25 edge, and UNE pulled within one early in the closing period, but back-to-back treys by Bessette and first-year Cesar Fulcar had the gap up at eight (37-29) at the 14:32 mark.
The Leopards managed to maintain the advantage through to the finish, allowing the hosts to get as close as four (39-35) before extending to the 12-point final cushion.
Big Blue connected on just 28 percent of its shots during the last 20 minutes, and made only 1-of-9 from deep. The Nor'easters were also hampered by 23 turnovers in the contest.
WIT, which led by as many as seven (21-14) during the opening stanza, returns home to face Eastern Nazarene College (10-2 CCC) on Saturday (3 p.m.).
The Nor'easters head for Salve Regina University (2-11 CCC) the same day and time.