Late run lifts Lyons over Seahawks

(Courtesy of Wheaton College Athletic Communications)

NORTON, Mass. (Tuesday, January 9, 2024) -- Junior guard Ty Murphy (Dedham, Mass.) netted 20 points and the Wheaton College (Mass.) men's basketball team used a 17-2 stretch late in the second half to fuel a 75-64 victory over visiting Salve Regina University this evening in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Emerson Gymnasium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.

The Lyons improve to 8-4 overall and 2-2 in league play, while the Seahawks fall to 8-6 and 2-3. The contest was the first for the foes as members of the NEWMAC following Salve Regina's recent acceptance into the league.

Wheaton shot 43.5 (27-62) from the floor, including 51.5% (17-33) in a first half that saw it bury eight of 16 three-point field goal attempts. The Lyons finished with 11 trifectas for the game and a season-high eight blocked shots. The Seahawks were held to 41.3% (26-63) from the field.

Murphy matched his career high with six made three-pointers and added three rebounds, two assists and a steal. First year guard Dimetri Iafrate (Johnston, R.I.) made his presence felt on both ends of the floor for Wheaton, scoring a personal-best 14 points on 5-7 shooting to go with seven rebounds, two assists, four blocks and three steals. Junior forward Khaled Thaher (Amman, Jordan) posted a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds in addition to three assists, a trio of blocks and a steal.

Junior guard Jojo Powers (Dedham, Mass.) led the Seahawks with 12 points on 5-10 from the floor and added five boards, a pair of steals and an assist, while junior forward Declan Walmsley (Franklin, Mass.) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds to go with a steal. Senior guard Clay Brochu (North Kingstown, R.I.) chipped in with 11 points, three rebounds and a steal.

Brochu converted a layup to give Salve Regina a 59-58 lead with 4:29 showing on the second half clock, before the Lyons put the game away with a dominant 17-2 run over the next four minutes, led by a pair of Murphy three-balls, to give the home team a comfortable 75-61 advantage with just 31 ticks left in the game.

Junior forward James Jolly (Kingston, England) sank a pair of free throws to give the Seahawks an early 12-11 edge at the 13:16 mark of the opening half. Wheaton ripped off 12 unanswered points, including a pair of triples from senior guard Jaden Keliher (Amesbury, Mass.), to take a 23-12 margin with 10:40 to play in the first half.

Salve Regina answered with eight straight points, capped by a jumper in the paint from Walmsley to cut the deficit to 23-20 with 7:21 left in the half. The Lyons scored seven of the next nine points to increase their lead to 30-22 at 5:45, before Jolly hit a free throw to pull the visitors to within 32-26 with 4:10 remaining in the opening stanza. Wheaton took its biggest lead of the half following an 8-2 burst, capped by a layup from junior forward Duncan Bubar (Newton, Mass.), to give the Lyons a 40-28 cushion with three minutes left in the half. Wheaton maintained its lead and went into the locker room with a 43-33 spread.

Sophomore guard Sal Pedevillano (Parsippany, N.J.) knocked down a three-pointer early in the second session to keep Wheaton's lead in the double-digits at 50-38, but the Seahawks scored the next 11 points, including a three-pointer from junior guard Will Parisi (Wyckoff, N.J.) to pull Salve Regina within 50-49 with 13:31 to play in the game. Brochu hit a turnaround jumper at the 9:08 mark to give the Seahawks their first lead (55-54) since early in the first half. The teams traded the lead five times over the next five minutes, before the Lyons put the game out of reach.

Wheaton returns to the court on Thursday, January 11, when it travels to Babson Park, Mass. to take on NEWMAC rival Babson College for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off, while the Seahawks head to New London, Conn. on January 13, to play United States Coast Guard Academy at 3:00 p.m.