Box Score
MEDFORD, Mass. - Junior guard
Chris Devine (Wilbraham, MA) led a balanced scoring attack with 15 points as the Western New England College men's basketball team held on for a 72-64 victory over host Tufts University Monday evening (Jan. 18) at Cousens Gymnastics.
This was the third straight win for the Golden Bears who reached the .500 mark at 7-7 for the first time this season.
WNEC had four players in double figures with sophomore guard
Andre Shaw (Jamaica, NY) tossing in 14 points with five assists, senior guard
Mike Booker (Springfield, MA) with 13 points, and junior forward
Brendan Murphy (West Springfield, MA) 10 points.
Devine continued his stellar play with six rebounds, five assists, and a steal.
Junior forward Brad Thomka (Springfield, MA) scored only five points, but pulled down a team best eight rebounds.
Murphy netted all of his points in the opening half as Western New England College held a 38-21 lead at the break.
The Golden Bears took their biggest lead at 52-27 following a three-pointer by Booker before the Jumbos staged a furious comeback getting within 63-61 at the 3:09 mark.
Western New England College didn't fold and when Shaw drained a three-pointer the visitors took a 66-61 advantage with 1:25 left. Tufts again got within two at 66-64 with 43 seconds remaining before junior guard
Andre Duncan (Bronx, NY) made two free throws just four seconds later to stretch the lead to four.
The Jumbos missed three three-pointers in the final 30 seconds and saw their record fall to 3-11.
Senior forward
Dave Beyel (Ocean City, NJ) led the home team with 17 points while senior forward
Jon Pierce (Belmont, MA) finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard
Dan Cook (Dover, MA) was the third Tufts player in double figures with 12 points.