WORCESTER -- The WPI men's basketball team started the game off with a 10-0 run and never looked back en route to a fourth Ted Coghlin Memorial Tournament title on Saturday afternoon at Harrington Auditorium.
The Engineers were paced by Colin McNamara (Arlington, MA) who finished with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals, enough to earn him Tournament MVP honors as the Engineers (3-0) remained undefeated to start the 2021-22 season.
John Lowther (Hingham, MA) finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, a pair of assists and a block on the day while John Adams (Douglas, MA) finished with a monster double-double in a 14-point, 13-rebound effort. The double-digit rebound effort was his second of the season and most of his career.
The match-up featured two teams that are both receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25 and participated in the most recent NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament.
The Engineers, who went three-crazy last time out, netted the majority of their points in the paint against the Mules finishing with just three 3-pointers in the outing, but 52 points underneath the basket. WPI also forced many Colby miscues making 11 steals in the game.
Colby (1-1) was led by a 14-point, six rebound effort from Jack Lawson (St. Louis, MO) who was 6-of-9 from the field while Noah Tyson (Castleton, VT) finished with five points, eight rebounds and a pair of assists and Will King (Glenview, IL) tabbed four points, nine boards and three assists.
Lowther started the game off with a layup, followed by an Aidan Callahan (Rowley, MA) three, a and-one and another layup by Lowther completed the 10-0 run to start the game.
Colby's first made shot of the game was from deep by Tyson and after a few traded baskets, another 9-2 run over a near-five minute span by the Engineers grew WPI's lead to 15, 25-10, thanks to yet another Lowther layup.
Colby chipped away at the WPI lead and managed to make it a nine-point game at the half, 34-25.
After back-to-back shots by the Mules to make it a six-point game early in the second half, WPI answered with a 9-0 run capped by a Donovan Sevilla (San Ramon, CA) three to extend its lead to 15, 45-30. Colby fought basket for basket the rest of the way, but the damage was already done as the Engineers came away with the championship victory.
The Engineers are back in action on Tuesday, Nov. 16 when they head to the University of Vermont for an exhibition game against the Catamounts followed by an appearance at the Herb Kenny Tournament at Wesleyan next Saturday and Sunday Nov. 20 and 21. Colby returns to action at Thomas on Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 7pm.
The consolation game of the Ted Coghlin Memorial Tournament featured New England College and Saint Joseph's (ME). The offense heavy game saw St. Joe's come away with a 104-94 victory, thanks to a 30-point effort from Nicholas Curtis.