WORCESTER -- The #24 WPI men's basketball team led wire-to-wire in a big 76-47 win at home against Emerson in NEWMAC action on Wednesday night. The Engineers improve to 17-2 overall, 8-1 in conference play with the Lions dipping to 12-6, 5-4. 

WPI was paced by 17 points from Colin McNamara (Arlington, MA) and a 10-point 10-rebound effort from John Adams (Douglas, MA), who tallied his 11th double-double of the season. John Lowther (Hingham, MA) finished with 13 points, while Kahleb Downing (Middletown, CT) added 11 and Aidan Callahan (Rowley, MA), eight. 

Max Davis (Oakland, CA) provided much of the Emerson offense, going for a game-high 22 points and adding five rebounds. Jarred Houston (Norwood, MA) pitched in with eight points and nine rebounds for the Lions. 

WPI's defense held Emerson's offense in check, as the Lions shot just 35.3% (18-51) from the field and only 16.7% (3-18) from long range. The Engineers also forced 20 turnovers and out-rebounded Emerson 37-30. 

Five quick points from WPI set the tone early on, as the Engineers never trailed in the game. Emerson cut into the lead with a pair of Trevor Arico (Ann Arbor, MI) free throws midway through the half, but the Engineers rattled off an 11-2 run to go up 27-13 on a Downing three with 4:26 left. 

Emerson scored on back-to-back possessions to get the WPI advantage down to 10 points, but a McNamara jumper set the halftime score to 33-21 Engineers. 

It took less than nine minutes for WPI to push the advantage to 27 points, opening the second half with a 19-4 run to go up 52-25. McNamara struck for eight points during the game-changing surge. 

Emerson got the lead down to 20 on a Davis lay-up with 8:50 to play, but the WPI advantage ballooned to as many as 30 points before the Crimson and Gray wrapped up the 76-47 victory. 

WPI, currently sitting in first in the NEWMAC, next heads to co-leader Babson in a key conference match-up beginning at 1pm. Emerson will host Clark on Saturday at 1pm.