Norton, MA --- Senior John Adams (Douglas, MA) scored a game-high 16 points, junior Aidan Callahan (Rowley, MA) added 12, and WPI bested host Wheaton 79-46, Saturday afternoon in the final NEWMAC regular season game for both teams. The win provided the Engineers with their nine outright conference title in the past 21 years.
Adams, who was an efficient 8-for-9 from the floor, now has 1,050 career points and sits 23rd in all-time scoring on Boynton Hill. His seven rebounds snaps a streak of seven straight games with a double-double as the senior on logged 20 minutes of court time on Saturday.
The win secures the third-straight NEWMAC Regular Season Title for the Engineers (21-4, 14-2) — the 12th time they have won the championship overall. The 14 conference wins mark the most regular season conference triumphs in program history. The Lyons fall to 15-9, 9-7 in the conference.
The Boynton Hillers used a 24-6 run in a span of 8:56 during the first half to help pull away. Adams scored seven points and Callahan six during the spurt.
In the second half, the Crimson and Gray's defense flexed its muscles holding Wheaton scoreless for two separate significant spells — one lasted 5 minutes, 21 seconds, the other 2 minutes, one second.
Freshman Dimitri Iafrate (Johnston, RI) registered a team-high 14 points on 4-of-10 shooting, while going a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe for Wheaton. Sophomore Eoin Morrissey (Watertown, MA) chipped in 10 points, 4 rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block for the Lyons.
Junior guard Tim Reidy (Needham, MA) tossed in nine points going 3-for-4 from 3-point land, while senior guard Andrew Lufkin (Auburn, NH), who continues to find his game legs, added eight points. Sophomore J.R. Newman (Havertown, PA), as he's done all season long, was a key contributor off the bench, amassing seven points and tying Adams for the team-high of seven rebounds.
Wheaton, who secured the third seed, will have sixth-seeded Emerson travel to Norton for a quarterfinal 7pm Tuesday. WPI, who earned the quarterfinal bye, will host the winner of fourth-seeded Babson and fifth-seeded Coast Guard in a semifinal Thursday at 7pm.
Release Written by Jorge Bannister