Hot Shooting Leads Clark Past Men's Basketball, 62-44

Worcester, MA --- Senior Travis Curley (Trumbull, CT) netted a game-best 16 points with three assists to help lead Clark to a 62-44 triumph over city rival Worcester State in non-conference men's basketball action this evening at the Lancer Gymnasium.  

The Cougars (4-2) were also paced by fourth-year DJ Bailey (Palmer, MA) and classmate Mitch Renshaw (Rutland, MA) who each contributed 13 and 11 points, respectively, as the pair combined for nine rebounds. Junior Tucker Esborn (Branford, CT) had an all-around great game with six points, nine boards and three helpers.

Junior Kyle Ferreira (Westport, MA/Diman Vocational Tech) was the lone Lancer in double-figures as he finished with 10 points and four dishes as senior Frank Stephenson (Fall River, MA) chipped in with nine points and a game-best five assists.

Following three ties and four lead changes, the Lancers took over an 18-17 edge with eight minutes remaining on the back of a Ferreira trey. But their margin was short lived as Clark used a 10-0 spurt to take over the 28-18 advantage with 2:31 left in the opening half.

After sophomore Mike Gittens (Uncasville, CT) nailed a jumper outside of the paint, sophomore Jake Gubitose (Fiskdale, MA) and Curley each knocked back consecutive three-point bids for the 43-20 lead at the intermission.

Coming out of the locker room, Clark ballooned their margin up to 44-24 at the 15:24 mark of the second period before the Lancers used a tenacious full court press to get within 12 points four minutes later (44-32).

With momentum on the Lancers side, the Cougars seized control of the game by making their next four shots from the field in a 10-2 run – with shots from downtown by Curley – for a commanding 54-34 lead with 8:34 left to play.

The closest WSU would get the rest of the way was 16 points with just over six minutes remaining on four consecutive free throws by freshman Charles Gunter (Boston, MA/New Mission) as the Clark earned the triumph.

The Cougars were red hot all game long as they would nearly make half their shots with a final clip of 47 percent (23-for-49) – including a 57 percent tally in the second stanza (12-for-21). The visitors also nearly doubled up the Blue and Gold in total rebounds for the game (37-18) and they had a 12-4 edge in offensive caroms.

Worcester State (1-3) connected for a modest 33 percent for the contest (15-for-45), but they only canned five of their 18 attempts from three point land. After failing to reach the free throw line in the opening frame, they would go nine-for-14 from the charity stripe in the final period (64 percent).

The Lancers will play again on Saturday in the Norwich Hockenbury Tournament and face off against the hosting Cadets at 6 PM in the first round. The winner or loser will take on Williams or SUNY Purchase in the consolation/championship game on Sunday afternoon.

Clark takes the weekend off before traveling to Nichols for a 7 PM affair in Dudley.