Five Lancers Score in Double Digits to Defeat Wentworth, 81-66

WORCESTER, Mass. – Five Worcester State University players scored in double-digits to help defeat the Wentworth Leopards 81-66 Wednesday afternoon at the Kneller Gymnasium in the concluding day of the Clark Alumni Holiday Invitational. The Lancers connected on 13 three-pointers – one shy of their all-time program mark of 14 set against Fitchburg State in 1994.

Junior guard, Bilal Shakir (Worcester, Mass.) steered the way with a game-high 22 points and six assists. Right behind Shakir, was freshman guard, Alex Santos (Lawrence, Mass.) with 18 points and four steals while shooting 80% from 3-point range. Marquez McKreith-Collins (Springfield, Mass.) scored 15 points and added in four assists for the Blue and Gold. Ryan DiBernardo (Springfield, Mass.) scored 11 points, while junior center, Paul Brooks (Arlington, Mass.) added in 10 and a game-high nine rebounds – just one short of a double-double.

Wentworth's Kyle Romich (Groton, Mass.) led his team with 19 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Jason Ganley (Northbridge, Mass.) and Matthew Dean (Gilford, N.H.) scored 16 and 11 points, respectively, for the Leopards. Off the bench, Dean had a team-high eight rebounds.

Wentworth took the first lead of the game off a layup from Romich. Though, McKreith-Collins dropped a pair of 3-point shots, to give the Lancers their first lead of the game. The Blue and Gold maintained the lead for a majority of the first half, until there was 7:54 remaining. Dean made a 3-pointer to take the 28-26 gain over the Lancers. The lead changed three times in the next two minutes of play, until with 5:17 remaining, Brooks made a layup to put Worcester back on top and remain on top for the rest of the game. In the second half, Worcester State pushed away from the Leopards, ending the game with their highest lead of the game (15) with an 81-66 mark.

Overall as a team, Worcester State shot 51.7% from the field, 54.2% from the 3-point range, and a perfect 100% from the free throw line. Wentworth struggled as they shot 38.2% from the field, and only 50.0% from the free-throw line.

The Lancers improve to 7-5 on the season, as they marked their third straight victory. With the loss, the Wentworth Leopards slip to 4-6 on the season.

The Lancers will be back in action on Saturday (Jan. 2) as they will take a visit to Gordon College before returning to Worcester a week from today to match up against their first Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opponent, MCLA at 8 p.m. on the campus of Clark University.

2015 Clark Alumni Holiday Invitational All-Tournament Team
Paul Brooks, Worcester State
Austin Coene, Roger Williams
Tyler Huffman, Clark (MVP)
David Mercier, Clark
Kyle Romich, Wentworth
Bilal Shakir, Worcester State