Jan. 16, 2008

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BABSON PARK, Mass. - Sophomore Jaxon Leo (Leesburg, Va.) scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half and junior Nick Michel (Hyde Park, Mass.) added two huge buckets in the final two minutes as the visiting Wheaton College Lyons came away with a 69-64 victory over the host Babson College Beavers in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's basketball matchup at Staake Gymnasium on Wednesday night.

With the win, Wheaton snapped a brief two-game slide and improved to 10-4 overall and 1-1 in the conference, while Babson fell to 4-10 overall and 1-2 in the NEWMAC.

Leo led the visitors with 18 points and nine rebounds while hitting 7-of-8 from the floor. Michel also shot well from the field, hitting all seven of his field goal attempts to finish with 15 points while also amassing three assists, five boards, and four blocked shots. First-year Anythony Coppola (Watertown, Mass.) chipped in with 13 points for the Lyons, and sophomore Jon Lecznar (Poland, Maine) added six rebounds and two blocks off the bench.

Babson was led by senior tri-captain Kyle McDonald (Wethersfield, Mass.), who led all players with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including a 3-for-4 mark from long range. Senior Brian MacDonald (Beverly, Mass.) was the only other Beaver in double figures with 12 points, while senior tri-captain Chris Bradley (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) contributed nine points, seven boards, and two blocks.

With Wheaton holding a 14-8 advantage six minutes into the game, McDonald scored six points during an 8-0 Babson run that gave the hosts an 18-17 edge with 9:16 remaining in the opening period. That would turn out to be the Beavers' final lead of the contest, however, as Wheaton ripped off nine straight points - four by Michel and five by Coppola - to build a 26-18 advantage. The Lyons eventually took a 35-29 lead into the break.

Babson continued to battle back throughout the second half, but each time the Beavers threatened, Wheaton would answer with a quick run to keep the hosts at bay. The Lyons led by as many as nine three times in the stanza, including a 59-50 margin after a Coppola three-pointer with 5:31 remaining in regulation. Babson would eventually whittle the lead down to just two after McDonald sank a short jumper in the lane to make it 62-60 with 3:14 left, but Leo answered with a huge three-pointer to make it a five-point game with under three minutes to play.

McDonald again pulled Babson to within one possession when he converted a lay-up in traffic with 1:44 left, but Wheaton once again answered with a nice turnaround jumper on the post by Michel that made it 67-62 with 1:18 on the clock. Babson junior Zach Etten (Hollis, N.H.) netted the Beavers' final bucket of the game when he put back his own missed jumper with 47.3 seconds remaining, but Michel came back with the biggest basket of the night, converting a tough fall-away jumper from the left block with Bradley in his face with 13.8 on the clock. The Beavers would come up empty on their final possession as Wheaton held on for the 69-64 win.

Wheaton shot 51.9 percent from the floor in the contest, hitting 27 of 52 field goal attempts, including 8 of 17 from beyond the arc. Babson shot just 41.8 percent from the field but stayed in the game by forcing 18 turnovers.