WORCESTER, MA- Wheaton College men's basketball senior Anthony Coppola (Watertown, MA/Watertown) moved into third place on the school's all-time scoring list as the Lyons closed out their six-game road swing with a 57-53 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victory at Clark University on Saturday in the Kneller Athletic Center.
Winning for the fifth time in six games, Wheaton improved to 5-7 overall and 1-1 in the conference. The Cougars dropped their third straight contest to fall to 5-9 and 0-2.
Coppola poured in a game-best 25 points while moving past Josean Vega '05 in program annals. Coppola, who matched a career high with 12 free throws, now has 1,599 career points. Junior Brendan Degnan (Narragansett, RI/Bishop Hendricken) was Wheaton's next highest scorer with seven markers and five rebounds.
Junior Shawn Daily (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Saint Michael Academy) pulled down nine rebounds with a career-high-tying four blocks. Freshman Will Bayliss (Manchester, NH/Tilton School) grabbed a season-best six boards with four assists.
Junior Brian Vayda (Sturbridge, MA/Tantasqua Regional) paced Clark with a team-high 20 points. Sophomore Tucker Esborn (Branford, CT/Avon Old Farms) had eight points as a reserve, while junior Mitch Renshaw (Rutland, MA/Wachusett Regional) finished with six markers and a game-best 10 rebounds.
Both teams shot poorly during today's defensive struggle, as Wheaton shot 36 percent overall while hitting just one three-pointer on 16 attempts. The Lyons did go 71.4 percent at the charity stripe, making 20-of-28. Clark shot a paltry 29.5 percent from the floor, which was lower than its 31.8 percent clip from three-point territory.
The squads combined on just 46 first-half points, with Wheaton clinging to a 24-22 halftime edge. Eight ties ensued in an opening frame that saw the largest margin at four points, as the Lyons held an 11-7 edge at the 9:34 mark. A 6-0 Clark run put the Cougars in front by a 13-11 count with 6:26 to play before the break. Trailing 22-19 with less than three minutes left, Wheaton scored the stanza's final five points, including three free throws.
Six lead swings and a pair of ties took place in the second half before the Lyons secured the lead for good on a conventional three-point play from sophomore Mike Hall (Lynnfield, MA/Saint John's Prep) at 11:21, a 33-32 edge that sparked a 12-2 run and 42-34 Wheaton advantage. A pair of Esborn freebies brought the hosts to within 45-43 with 2:25 left before the Blue and White used a 9-2 spurt over 1:14, as Clark opted to foul. Coppola took advantage by going 7-of-8 at the line.
The Lyons will play at home on Wednesday for the first time in over a month, when they host NEWMAC foe Springfield College at 7:00 p.m.