Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. - Seniors Jim Marois (Worcester, MA), Antoine Coleman (Everett, MA) and Ryan Bourque (Nashua, NH) combined for 37 points as host WPI defeated Babson 65-49 on Saturday afternoon in the NEWMAC men's basketball season finale for both squads.

The Engineers, winners of eight straight and fourth in the latest NCAA Division III regional rankings, improve to 20-5 overall and 11-1 in conference action. It marks the fifth consecutive year the Crimson and Gray have won at least 20 contests. Babson drops to 9-15 on the season and 6-6 in the NEWMAC.

WPI never trailed in the game but it was not easy. Coleman was a man possessed in the opening minutes, scoring the first seven WPI points but he was saddled with foul trouble for most of the first stanza. The Engineers saw a 29-21 lead shrink to a three-point advantage at the break as the Beavers scored eight of the final 10 points over the last 2:10 to cut the advantage to 32-29 at the half.

Marois paced the WPI attack with 17 points while Coleman and Bourque chipped in with 12 and eight respectively. The trio closed out their NEWMAC regular season career with an eye-popping 41-7 mark in the rugged conference with their only two losses the past two seasons coming at Babson.

Adam Lirette (Dover, NH) and NT Izuchi (Boston, MA) each added nine points for the Crimson and Gray while Jerome Kirkland (Boston, MA) overcame first half foul trouble of his own to notch seven second half points. Bourque led the WPI defensive charge with three blocks.

Greg Bush (East Islip, NY) came of the bench to lead all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor. His effort helped the Beaver reserves outscore their WPI counterparts by a 26-12 margin. Zach Etten (Hollis, NH) added 11 points, while sharing game-high rebounding honors with six. Chris Bradley (Mount Vernon, NY) had a solid all-around game with three blocks, four points, four rebounds and a steal.

WPI, who has already secured its fifth straight NEWMAC regular season title and third consecutive outright crown, will host their fifth straight NEWMAC Tournament semifinals and championship game next week. The Engineers will take on the winner of Wednesday's first round contest between fourth-seeded Babson and fifth-seeded Springfield.

NOTE: Taken from a WPI press release.