Benjamin, Bronstein bring their best on Senior Day

NEWPORT, R.I. (February 22, 2020) - Salve Regina University seniors Tyler Benjamin (Fitchburg, Mass.) and Andrew Bronstein (Needham, Mass.) posted career bests in points (21) and assists (11), respectively, to lead the Seahawks to a come-from-behind 68-63 victory over Wentworth Institute of Technology in the final regular season men's basketball game of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC).

The teams have split their regular-season meetings and finish tied for fourth with 8-8 marks in CCC play. Salve Regina's win over the top-seeded Endicott College Gulls give the Seahawks the edge in the tiebreaking procedure, and hosting duties in the No. 4 versus No. 5 matchup on Tuesday night at the Rodgers Recreation Center (7 p.m.).

Wentworth led by 13 at the break (32-19) and had its largest lead (15 points) just 83 seconds into the second half after a layup by Tyler Lennon (Atkinson, N.H.). That's when Benjamin took off with 3-pointers on three consecutive trips up the floor, each assisted by Bronstein. The Seahawks' 15-2 run included a jumper by Cameron Collins (Oakdale, Conn.), a free throw by Kevin Kelly (Valhalla, N.Y.), and a 3-pointer by Mikey Spencer (Abington, Mass.).

Trailing by one (46-45) with under 10 minutes remaining, Benjamin's fifth trey of the game put the Seahawks ahead for good. It also started a 20-9 run that culminated with Spencer's layup at 1:23 and Salve Regina's largest lead (65-55).

Kyle Henseler (Coventry, R.I.) led the Leopards with 18 points including a pair of 3-pointers in the final 23 seconds. Kevin Fernandez (Lawrence, Mass.) and Trey Carrier (Wilton, N.H.) contributed 13 and 11 points, respectively, while Stephen Azums (Hyde Park, Mass.) led all players with 11 rebounds.

Collins and Spencer both finished with 17 points. The former now has 990 career points, while the latter made it a team-best fourth double-double of the season with 10 rebounds.

Bronstein's 11 assists come just one game after Kelly established a program record with a dozen dishes in a win at Curry College on Wednesday.

Salve Regina is now two games above .500 (34-32) in the all-time series with Wentworth. Tuesday will be the fifth meeting all-time in the conference postseason for the charter members; Seahawks have won all four prior matchups with the last one on February 26, 2011, deciding the CCC championship in overtime, 68-58, in Boston.